Power of democracy: Govt may succumb to pressure against amendments to LG law
PPP leaders find MQM, PML-F coalition strange.
"A law is a law. One can call it black or white according to their wish," Acting Sindh Governor Agha Siraj Durrani. PHOTO: FILE
HYDERABAD:
The Sindh government may bend in to mounting pressure by the opposition parties over the controversial amendments to the Local Government Act.
Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah hinted that they may amend the law, as he was speaking to the media at Cadet College Petaro in Jamshoro on Wednesday. “This is a man-made law which can be amended,” he said. “If there are objections against it, we can hold a dialogue with the stakeholders.”
All the parties sitting on the opposition benches have expressed disapproval of the successive local government ordinances that followed the enactment of Sindh Local Government Act, 2013, in August. Some have termed it a black law while others describe it as an encroachment on the legislature.
However, to soothe the raging opposition parties Shah asked them to share their objections against the ordinance. “If these [parties] are right, we will accept them,” he assured. “We have listened to each other in the past too.”
Shah found it strange that the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz have forged a common front with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement against his party.
In contrast to the chief minister’s stance, the other senior leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) appear in favour of tackling the issue differently. “A law is a law,” claimed acting Sindh governor Agha Siraj Durrani. “One can call it black or white according to their wish.”
He told reporters in Bhit Shah, Matiari, that the PPP government will table a bill containing provisions of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2013, in the assembly. “It will be passed with the majority’s approval as per the assembly’s rules.”
Durrani maintained that the government promulgates an ordinance when the assembly is not in the session. “It has not happened for the first time.” He advised all political opponents of the ordinance to discuss the issue with the provincial government as “they will get nothing from creating a rumpus”.
Senior education minister Nisar Khuhro agreed political opponents are crying foul against every process involved in the local government elections for the sake of politics. “The parties that were not even ready to shake hands until yesterday have united against the PPP,” he said referring to the PML-N, MQM and PML-F alliance.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2013.
The Sindh government may bend in to mounting pressure by the opposition parties over the controversial amendments to the Local Government Act.
Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah hinted that they may amend the law, as he was speaking to the media at Cadet College Petaro in Jamshoro on Wednesday. “This is a man-made law which can be amended,” he said. “If there are objections against it, we can hold a dialogue with the stakeholders.”
All the parties sitting on the opposition benches have expressed disapproval of the successive local government ordinances that followed the enactment of Sindh Local Government Act, 2013, in August. Some have termed it a black law while others describe it as an encroachment on the legislature.
However, to soothe the raging opposition parties Shah asked them to share their objections against the ordinance. “If these [parties] are right, we will accept them,” he assured. “We have listened to each other in the past too.”
Shah found it strange that the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz have forged a common front with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement against his party.
In contrast to the chief minister’s stance, the other senior leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) appear in favour of tackling the issue differently. “A law is a law,” claimed acting Sindh governor Agha Siraj Durrani. “One can call it black or white according to their wish.”
He told reporters in Bhit Shah, Matiari, that the PPP government will table a bill containing provisions of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2013, in the assembly. “It will be passed with the majority’s approval as per the assembly’s rules.”
Durrani maintained that the government promulgates an ordinance when the assembly is not in the session. “It has not happened for the first time.” He advised all political opponents of the ordinance to discuss the issue with the provincial government as “they will get nothing from creating a rumpus”.
Senior education minister Nisar Khuhro agreed political opponents are crying foul against every process involved in the local government elections for the sake of politics. “The parties that were not even ready to shake hands until yesterday have united against the PPP,” he said referring to the PML-N, MQM and PML-F alliance.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2013.