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| Assembly passes Sindh Local Govt (Amend) 2010 Bill
G.N. Mughul |
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| KARACHI: Sindh Assembly, comprising MPAs belonging to all Parliamentary groups viz. PPP, MQM, PML (Q), PML (F), and NPP, in its session held on Monday, unanimously passed "The Sindh Local Government (amendment) Bill, 2010" envisaging holding of Local Government elections on party basis within 120 days.
According to the bill, (a) all local governments shall stand dissolved on the date as notified by the Government, (b) On dissolution of local governments all the Nazims and Naib Nazims of all the local governments shall cease to hold their respective offices, (c) The Government shall appoint civil servants as Administrators who shall perform the functions of Nazims, (d) On dissolution of the local governments and councils, the Government shall within 30 days request the Chief Election Commissioner for holding the elections of local government in a time not exceeding 120 days from the date of appointment of Administrators, and (e) In the meantime Government would enact new local government law within that period.
Meanwhile, summing up the debate on the bill in the Assembly as well as talking to media in his chamber in Assembly building, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that PPP would like to maintain reconciliation with all its coalition partners, even in the ensuing local government elections. For this purpose, he indicated that seat adjustments would be made with all these coalition partners.
He said, Sindh PPP has been given mandate by party high command to this effect. As the follow up he said that negotiations have been held with MQM in core committee and similar negotiations would also be held with other coalition partners. He declared that a committee to this effect would be formed by the PPP.
Without naming PML (N) chief, Nawaz Sharif, Sindh Chief Minister criticized him for issuing irresponsible statements. He posed the question how democracy would be allowed to run if such irresponsible statements were issued by some "senior" politicians". The Chief Minister wondered that though matter was still in the court and on mere issuance of an order by the head of the country, how some one became panicky. He asked as to what this person wants?
"He wants this system to continue or not?" he posed a question. Syed Qaim Ali Shah said on the one had it was being declared not to destabilize the system while on the other hand such reaction was given on mere issuance of an order which was still under dispute. He advised such people to read the constitution and then give the reaction. He said let all should take lesson from the constitution.
Qaim said the passage of this bill unanimously by 169 members of Sindh Assembly was a unique demonstration of Sindh assembly of integrity among themselves as well as with the people of Sindh. He said, PPP was following the process of reconciliation that was initiated by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah also paid tributes to the sagacity of PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari for sticking to the process of reconciliation. He said, although all the rest three provinces were adamant to dissolve present local government system and appoint administrators immediately after October, 2009, but he said, Sindh was of the view that they would like to amend present as well as previous systems and enact new law.
In reply to a question, Sindh Chief Minister did not agree with a view that PPP was being all along dictated by MQM. He said, there is difference between Sindh and the rest three provinces. He said, there is homogeneity in the rest three provinces. As against them, he said, Sindh has heterogeneous trends and it has to take along all and sundry. He said, at one stage their friends were of the view to appoint political administrators. But, he said, PPP was of the view to appoint non-political administrators so to hold free and fair local bodies elections.
Responding to the speech of MQM senior Minister Syed Sardar Ahmad, by which he said that local bodies elections in the country are always held by the dictators but not democratic governments, Chief Minister recalled that the dictators always held local body elections to create a limited and controlled electoral college to get themselves elected. He said, not only Ayub and Zia but also even Pervez Musharraf had same intentions but he could not implement these plans.
In the end, a PPP MPA Sharjeel Memon, despite not allowed by the Speaker, made an emotional speech against the demonstrations being held in various cities of the country against present Government. He said, he has been asked by his voters as to why always only PPP is subjected to accountability and why courts always bring PPP leaders in the scope of accountability while no suo motto notice is taken of Hudabia case and several other scandals?
He asked as to why hearing of Mehran scandal case was not being started? He said, people ask as to why those who got loans of billions of rupees written off were not being brought to the book? He said, people of Sindh have replies to all these questions. They know that all those who are being subjected to this sort of accountability belong to Sindh. But, he said; if they gave reply there might be fire everywhere. But, he said, we do not want to burn fire. However, he said, people understand every thing. He said, people saw as to how Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged. "How cases on bogus charges were filed against Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. How Asif Zardari had to undergo long imprisonments without being proved even a single charge."
He said people also saw how the rally of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto was attacked in Karachi on 18th October and then how she was martyred in Rawalpindi on 27th December. He said, people ask that the person who presents himself today as a major champion of judiciary was the same who was responsible for attack on Supreme Court and rendering Supreme Court judges as hostages. He regretted to say that some organizations while demonstrating on the roads of Lahore were hurling undesirable allegations and abuses against PPP leadership. He warned that if such things continue to happen then PPP workers might also come on the roads. He said, it was being said that there was confrontation between the Government and the judiciary. He said it was not so. "The fact is that it is confrontation between the judiciary and the people", he added. |
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