‘LG polls only answer to Sindh’s problems’

PML-F’s Shaharyar Mahar was recently nominated to the post after the MQM joined the govt.

KARACHI:

The recently-nominated leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly, Shaharyar Mahar, has said that the local bodies elections is the answer to most issues being faced by the province.

He revealed that the opposition will raise its voice in the assembly to urge the government to hold the elections as soon as possible. Mahar was nominated to the position by the three parties left on the opposition benches - the Pakistan Muslim League - Functional (PML-F), Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Speaking at the Functional House on Thursday, the PML-F leader contended that Balochistan and K-P had already held the local bodies elections while the Sindh government was reluctant to conduct them. “The local bodies elections are in the best interests of the people of Sindh,” he said. “As a real opposition, we will raise our voices for issues that would benefit our people.”

In response to a question regarding law and order, Mahar said that the whole province was adversely affected by violence. He added that the opposition members will play their role to bring peace to the province.

Mahar went on to claim that the Pakistan Peoples Party had given between 60,000 to 80,000 jobs to its supporters without following proper protocol. “We are not against the idea of giving jobs to the people of Sindh but we want to ensure the process was fair and transparent.”

Speaking about the jirga system in the province, the opposition leader said there was no law against the system. He denounced, however, the unfair verdicts that usually resulted from the system. “We do not support early marriages which are normally a part of the jirga’s decision.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 2^nd, 2014.