Sharjeel hits back at Saad Rafique over LG remarks

KARACHI:

Sindh Senior Minister and Provincial Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon has strongly responded to remarks made by Khawaja Saad Rafique, advising him to first ensure the conduct of local government elections in Punjab before lecturing other provinces on democratic governance.

In a statement, he said it was inappropriate for leaders from Punjab, where local government elections have not been held, to criticise Karachi's democratic and municipal system. He questioned the reasons behind the delay in holding LG polls in Punjab, while commenting on governance in Sindh.

Sharjeel Memon said local government elections are indeed the foundation of democracy, adding that the people of Punjab should also be given their constitutional right to elect local representatives. He maintained that in Sindh, under the Pakistan Peoples Party government, citizens had already been granted their democratic rights, and local government elections in Karachi were conducted in accordance with the Constitution and law.

He said the people had elected their representatives and the democratic process had been completed, adding that objections to the public mandate were inappropriate and contrary to democratic traditions.