Karachi delimitation: MQM lawmakers walk out of National Assembly

Opposition parties in Sindh assembly also submit requisition to discuss amendments in local government bill.

ISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmakers walked out of the National Assembly on Tuesday in protest against the delimitation of constituencies in Karachi, Express News reported.

The party had earlier challenged the delimitation process in the Sindh High Court, calling it unconstitutional.

The rift between the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and MQM over this issue has caused delay in the local bodies elections. The official date for elections in Sindh was decided to be January 18 but the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had failed to notify the polling schedule because the provincial government had not completed the pre-requisites in time.

The schedule is now expected to be announced on December 18, a month before the scheduled date of the elections.

SLGA

Opposition parties in the Sindh Assembly submitted a requisition to call a session to discuss the recent amendments in the Sindh Local Government Act 2013.

Around 42 members of MQM, Pakistan Muslim League – Functional (PML-F) and Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) submitted the requisition to the assembly’s secretary.

Terming the amendments illegal, the lawmakers said that PPP should discuss the law with the elected representatives of the land.