Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah. PHOTO: EXPRESS/ FILE
Addressing media officials at a dinner in Karachi, he said that the Sindh government will request the Supreme Court for more time to hold the elections. He added that holding local bodies elections was the responsibility of the provinces.
Shah's Pakistan Peoples Party has been at loggerheads over a local bodies election with other parties from Sindh when it first came to power in 2008. Earlier this year, the government, having seen the back of their long term coalition partners, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, reinstated its preferred local government system of 1979 and had in its election campaign promised local body elections.
After being re-elected, it implemented the local government system, but has yet to conduct local body elections.
Lyari Unrest
Responding to a question about the situation in Lyari, he said that the issue is no longer an administrative one but has become political.
Earlier in the week, Shah had said that the government was consulting various stakeholders and recording statements of elected representatives, politicians, notables and social workers of the area.
"The initial findings point towards a 'bhatta mafia' and political motives as the reason behind the unrest," Shah had said.
COMMENTS (7)
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@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: Well said; but rest assured they know this. They are just hoping that 6 months will translate to 6 years.
The first 5 comments above should be instructive to those who want to understand why East Pakistan became Bangladesh and what really is happening in Balochistan. Bengalis formed the majority in 1970 and had won the most seats in the National Assembly. Instead of turning over power to them they were told to take a hike. One can make excuses and delay the inevitable but one is also constrained to live with the consequences. It does not amaze me that PPP does not want to hold these local elections, what amazes me is the inability of educated people to learn from history. Even more confounding to me is that these same people demand the right of self-determination and self-governance for people in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Any political party delaying local body elections cannot be sincere with its people. Local administration the 3rd tier of government can empower and provide welfare of the people. Cannot wait for Karachi to have a directly elected Mustafa Kamal again
Excuses: This CM and his party is not sincere about holding Local Body polls. This is because they want to exercise complete control over Karachi and Hyderabad where they are not popular. Keeping control would mean having more control over the finances. Furthermore, if local body elections are held, MQM would probably gain majority (based on previous local government performance under Mustafa Kamal) and get the mayorship. Thereafter, it will probably indulge in development work that will help regain its popularity in Karachi.
how long would you defy the right of people..sooner or later you have to hold local bodies election, and you know mqm will win karachi/hyderabad/mirpurkhaas..hopefully more
Dear Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah:
Whether you hold LB elections in September or after 6 months from now, MQM is going to win the LB elections in any case.
Whether you hold according to 1997 parameters, or on Musharraf's pattern, PPP cannot win LB elections from Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur.
This is written on the wall, which you may kindly try to read.