Cast the vote: Govt consulting MQM on LG elections
“We are still consulting our coalition partner, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), on the issue,” says Soomro.
HYDERABAD:
A day after Sindh Minister for Local Government Agha Siraj Durrani hinted at holding local government elections this year, Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro claimed that if the elections did take place this year they would be held under the 1979 Local Government law ordinance.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, has ordered the provinces to submit an election schedule by April 30. Punjab has announced that August will be election month, whereas Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is preparing for October.
“We are still consulting our coalition partner, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), on the issue,” said Soomro on Thursday at Nara Jail. “We respect the Supreme Court but being political workers, we have to give consideration to the parliamentary process.” He added that it was possible that the local government election could delay the general elections.
In July 2011, the Sindh Assembly passed the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 1979 but could not implement it due to opposition from the MQM. According to Soomro, the 1979 ordinance would be introduced in the elections.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 20th, 2012.
A day after Sindh Minister for Local Government Agha Siraj Durrani hinted at holding local government elections this year, Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro claimed that if the elections did take place this year they would be held under the 1979 Local Government law ordinance.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, has ordered the provinces to submit an election schedule by April 30. Punjab has announced that August will be election month, whereas Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is preparing for October.
“We are still consulting our coalition partner, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), on the issue,” said Soomro on Thursday at Nara Jail. “We respect the Supreme Court but being political workers, we have to give consideration to the parliamentary process.” He added that it was possible that the local government election could delay the general elections.
In July 2011, the Sindh Assembly passed the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 1979 but could not implement it due to opposition from the MQM. According to Soomro, the 1979 ordinance would be introduced in the elections.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 20th, 2012.