Sindh govt seeks 6 months time to hold LB elections: Qaim Ali Shah
The situation in Lyari is no longer administrative, says Qaim Ali Shah.
Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah. PHOTO: EXPRESS/ FILE
KARACHI:
Following the Supreme Court's order earlier on Thursday to hold local bodies elections in September, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said that they needed six months time to hold local bodies elections, Radio Pakistan reported.
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.
Following the Supreme Court's order earlier on Thursday to hold local bodies elections in September, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said that they needed six months time to hold local bodies elections, Radio Pakistan reported.
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.