Local govt elections: MQM candidates submit nomination papers

Despite vocally opposing the act, the party vows to take part in the elections.

KARACHI: Despite the Muttahida Qaumi Movement's reservations over the local government act, candidates submitted over 2,000 nomination papers on Thursday for the upcoming elections.

On the first day of nomination paper submissions for councillors for the local bodies elections on January 18, former Korangi town nazim Arif Khan and Landhi Town Nazim Muhammad Hameed were amongst the ones to submit their nomination forms. The forms were submitted to the district returning officers.

The party's prominent leaders and parliamentarians are also expected to file their nomination papers before the deadline on December 29. The party's deputy convener Nasir Jamal told The Express Tribune that amongst the candidates would be parliamentarians and leaders who had earlier submitted their nomination papers for the elections last month. "The forms are changed so we are filling out new forms and submitting them," said Jamal.

In the nomination papers submitted in November, the candidates of the party included a large number of parliamentarians, including Dr Farooq Sattar, Asif Hasnain, Faisal Subzwari, Khawaja Izharul Hassan.

Meanwhile, the party has been regularly protesting against the amendments in the Sindh Local Government Act 2013 and even termed it a black law.

The MQM accused the PPP of trying to destroy its mandate and wanting to bring in their own mayors in Hyderabad and Karachi. MQM leaders have claimed that the new law aims to create a divide amongst the people living in rural and urban areas.

MQM has also challenged the delimitation of constituencies in the Sindh High Court. However, the party insists that it will not boycott the elections at any cost.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2013.