MQM, PPP strike a deal on LG system
After marathon talks on Monday, the Pakistan Peoples Party and its key ally Muttahida Qaumi Movement struck a deal after narrowing down their differences on the contentious issue of the local government system for Sindh.
Negotiations between senior leaders of the two parties had continued late in the night amidst reports that a new ordinance is likely to be issued today (Tuesday) in light of recommendations made at meetings of PPP’s core committee.
According to sources, the ordinance would be issued as an ad-hoc arrangement till both parties evolve a consensus on a new local government bill. Reports say the MQM is insisting on the restoration of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance (SLGO) 2001 with minor adjustments in place of the existing commissionerate system.
Leaders from both parties refused to speak to The Express Tribune when contacted. But sources claimed that after the issue of the ordinance, the government would pass a law within two months to hold local bodies (LB) election in the province.
At a meeting of PPP and MQM leaders at Bilawal House on Monday, President Asif Ali Zardari hoped that the two sides would soon finalise their deliberations for conducting LB elections.
According to sources, the president’s decision to hold LB elections was made in the wake of MQM’s growing frustration with the deadlock on the issue.
“The MQM had once again decided to quit the coalition government and resume its negotiation with PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, whom they are scheduled to meet at Punjab House today (Tuesday). This prompted the president to reach out to its key coalition partner,” a senior PPP leader said.
The MQM is also demanding control of district police – however, the PPP is unwilling to give up these departments to the city government. “These departments are under the provincial government, but we will follow whatever decision is made by our leadership,” said Sindh Local Government Minister Agha Siraj Durrani.
At a recent meeting with MQM chief Altaf Hussain in London, President Asif Ali Zardari had reportedly said that his government was committed to holding the LB election if the MQM evolved a consensus among main political parties on the issue.
“The idea behind this was to postpone general election for one year, so that the president could get himself re-elected for other term from the incumbent parliament,” sources said adding that soon after the London meeting the MQM started consulting different political parties in order to convene a roundtable meeting.
This effort was meant to take all parties into confidence over a delay in general elections, but most parties refused to buy the idea.
ANP opposition
On the other hand, a delegation of the Awami National Party (ANP) expressed its reservations over the SLGO 2001 during a meeting with President Zardari. “We are in favour of the local government system of 1979,” ANP Senator Shahi Syed said, adding that since the coalition partners had failed to evolve a consensus on the issue for nearly five years, it was not possible to hold LB elections before parliamentary polls. “Let the MQM and PPP decide, we will give our reaction after that,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2012.
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@Sindh_sufi...sorry to say but you are not sincere to sindh. How in the world can you favour 1979 ordinance, which was also implemented by a dictator and it actually takes away power from people. Unfortuantely the many ppl of sind have gone blind in there hatred of MQM. They can't even see what is good for them. If there are any issues in 2001 ordinance then make change to it. Just because it was implemented by a dictator is not a good enough reason to scrape it, btw lot of things were better in his days than your favorite PPP govt. The police ordinance, the public safety commissions etc were all for betterment of ppl and what a pity were introduced by a dictator and so called democratic politcians never allowed them to be implemented. So start using your brain and see what is actually better for you and the ppl rather than discarding something on the basis of who implemented.
Did the rickshaw driver explain the reason for preferring the LG System of 1979?
@Sindhi_Sufi: So in your mind the LG system devised by the British to rule an empire is better? Nowhere in the world are megacities run on a piecemeal basis. The system that the PPP and so-called Sindhi nationalists want allows the sindhi waderas and their henchmen to continue to raise 99% of their revenue from Karachi alone, and spend it all on themselves. The LG system must devolve power down to the grassroots and give people local control over local municipal services, policing and administration. Centralised "district" and provincial governments have only been a disaster.
Deal has been completed according given and taken formula due to incoming election. It is blackmailing in political arena for own interest and also loss of govt revenue with wastage of time.
I hope President will now be re-elected soon after the MQM demand is met. The bloodshed on the roads of Karachi is aimed to surrender the government to hold LG elections
It is good that Sindh is atleast moving towards having some LG system. But we people of Sindh expect that PPP-MQM govt will not revive notorious Mushraf era LG system, which was devised by dictator to strengthen his rule and weaken provincial autonomy. Based on that system,five districts of Karachi were merged into one big city district and Hyderabad was divided into four, a clear indication that this system was designed to favor only one party or group in Sindh. Furthermore, other provinces have also rejected this Mushraf era LG system. A new fair, people friendly and judicious LG system should be devised which brings people together but if PPP imposes notorious Mushraf era LG system on the behest of MQM, People of Sindh will exercise their democratic right to RESIST it.
Absolutely pointless.