Sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune that though the MQM sought more time for their own proposals, party leaders led by Farooq Sattar handed over a page-long summary of their demands to the PPP. PHOTO: FILE
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has once again proposed the Sindh government empower the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) by putting traffic police, land control of katchi abadis, basic health and primary education under its domain.
The demand came at a meeting between the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party and the MQM at CM House on Thursday when the PPP approached its former coalition partner to reach a consensus on the proposed local government law scheduled to be tabled in the assembly on August 19.
Sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune that though the MQM sought more time for their own proposals, party leaders led by Farooq Sattar handed over a page-long summary of their demands to the PPP.
“The MQM wants to establish more metropolitan corporations in the province and to devolve the population and planning departments, technical schools, mass transit and the motor vehicle department to the KMC,” an official who attended the meeting said. The MQM was insisting the proposed law should be framed under the 2001 system but the PPP has already prepared a draft keeping in view the local bodies system of 1979, he added.
“We have clearly asked PPP leaders to empower the local government as it is envisaged in article 140-A,” said Syed Sardar Ahmed, MQM’s parliamentary leader in the Sindh Assembly. He attended the meeting along with his party’s Faisal Subzwari and Kanwar Naveed Jameel. Senior minister for education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, law and parliamentary affairs minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro and information minister Sharjeel Inam Memon also attended the meeting as PPP representatives.
Later, Memon said that the in issue of the local bodies system will be settled with mutual consultation and will be in the interests of Sindh. “The new local bodies system would be formulated keeping in view the system of 1979,” he said. “Some amendments have, however, been made in the current scenario.” Memon added that the World Bank has also appreciated the local bodies system of 1979.
The information minister hoped that all political parties will accept the new local bodies system with an open mind. The new system will help reduce the differences between urban and rural population and will bring people closer together, he said, adding that previous systems were enforced against the wishes of the people. “All political parties should accept the local bodies system in the interests of Sindh,” he said. “Any hesitations will not be considered as politically mature.”
Meanwhile, the PPP ministerial committee has started consultation with various parties on the new local government law. They visited Awami National Party’s office in Mardan House on Thursday evening.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 16th, 2013.
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ppp will never agree in this i known they will lose their hold in interior sindh
Stop all conspiracies against Sindh.
asking for more Metropolitan to be crated is equal to as asking more Karachi like places be establish in Sindh. But this will not go far, since ppp lives on the idea of controlling the masses through depriving them education and basic needs. Having 5 or 6 metropolitan in sindh meaning more competition among cities to become better and safer and more heavenly for public.. rather to be as desert dune.
Why cant the LG administration of Karachi be given as much power as the administrative governments of the other mega cities of the world. Mayors have policing, transportation and utilities under their jurisdiction world over, PPP must understand that it is not about gaining power but it is the only solution to the diverse problems of the city. It is in the best interest of all the stakeholders to devolve power to local government, otherwise there will be more trouble more bloodshed. Karachi deserves to be treated with respect which means being governed by its chosen representative and not those who get elected from outside Karachi and govern the metropolis merely because of more strength in the provincial assembly.