Joint opposition in Sindh Wednesday submitted requisition in assembly secretariat for immediately convening the assembly session to discuss Local government Act following judgment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and re framing it in accordance with constitution and guidelines of the apex court.
The requisition – signed by 49 legislators of Pakistan Tehreek Insaf, Muttehda Quomi Movement Pakistan and Grand Democratic Alliance- also sought discussion on the floor of the assembly on issues of Provincial Finance Commission, law and order situation, shortage of fertilizer and water, rising prices, land grabbing and illegal construction and worsening Covid-19 situation in Sindh.
Leader of the opposition in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh along with parliamentary leaders and MPAs of PTI and MQM-P submitted the requisition.
The agenda put forward by the joint apposition also included manhandling of situation in Tando Allahyar by Police and district administration and use of violence over peaceful protesters in front of CM house.
Haleem Adil Sheikh while addressing a joint press along with PTI parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly Khurram Sherzaman, MQM-P parliamentary leader Kunwar Naveed Jamil, Muhammad Hussain Khan and Jamal Siddiqui said that after Supreme Court’s judgment it had become inevitable to draft the law governing local government system in Sindh with consultation and consensus of all the parliamentary parties of Sindh.
He said that Sindh Local government Act 2013 and subsequent amendments were contravening to constitution of Pakistan and all the opposition parties were protesting against the law that deprived the LG bodies from their rights and authorities guaranteed by article 140-A of the constitution of Pakistan. Now the judgment of the apex court has shaken the foundations of the LG system in Sindh that was purposefully designed to allow provincial government exercise absolute authority and control over the third tier of the government, he said adding that not only section 74 and 75 but as many as 21 sections and four schedules of SLGA 2013 undermined the autonomy of local governments.
Haleem Adil said that PPP was negotiating the deal on LG law with a political party that did not represent the masses while opposition alliance having public mandate was not being consulted.
The PPP did not intend to devolve the authority to the grass root level and it was evident from the statement of CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah that a review petition may be filed against the judgment. Haleem Adil said that law and order situation in Sindh had worsened and people were left on mercy of criminals while 23 people lost their lives in Tando Allahyar and Tando Jam due to consuming poisonous liquor.
Artificial shortage of fertilizers, over pricing of wheat flour, grabbing of state lands, deforestation, nonpayment of salaries to vaccinators during a worsening Covid-19 situation, death of children in Tharparkar and dilapidated situation of health and education facilities warranting open discussion on the floor of the house, he said.
About 2.8 million acres of forest land were under illegal possession of influential persons in Sindh and area of forests in the province had been shrunk to mere 0.1 million acres, he said and expressed concerns that despite of its poor performance islands claimed by Sindh were being handed over to forest department.
Parliamentary leader of MQM-P Kunwar Naveed Jamil said that Sindh assembly was not convened from two months and there were a herd of issues those must be discussed on the floor of the house. He said that Police and district administration mishandled the situation in Tando Allahyar where people were protesting against murder of a MQM-P worker in court premises.
The police also resorted to torture against protestors in front of CM House in Karachi where MQM-P staged a sit in to protest against black LG law, he said adding that a political worker lost his life while numerous others including MNAs and MPAs even female legislators sustained injuries due to manhandling of police. Kunwar said that following the judgment by Supreme Court of Pakistan on MQM-P’s petition against LG law, the opposition alliance wanted new legislation on LG system as per directives of the apex court. Two separate bills by MQM-P and PTI had already been submitted in Sindh Assembly so a new bill that would be acceptable to all the stakeholders and capable of solving issues of rural as well as urban areas should be drafted in consultation with all the parliamentary parties, he suggested.
Parliamentary leader of PTI in Sindh Assembly Khurram Sherzaman said that PTI, MQM-P and GDA were at forefront in protests against SLGA 2013 while PPP Jamaat Islami because they were playing role of friendly opposition.
He said that problems of people had increased manifold during rule of PPP in Sindh while the province had been turned into ‘University of corruption’. He said that PTI had submitted a draft of Local government bill in the assembly six months ago but that was not tabled in the house.
He paid tributes to Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed who strike down article 74 and 75 of SLGA 2013 and said that it was clear message for PPP but they were adamant and did not want to streamline the issue.
He said that street crimes in Karachi had gone out of control as we saw killing of people by criminals every day.
Over 51 thousand motorcyles, 54238 mobile phones and 26000 vehicles were snatched or stolen during year 2021 in Karachi alone, he added. MQM-P MPA Muhammad Hussain said that affairs of Sindh Assembly were being run in an autocratic manner and 69 members of opposition parties were not being allowed to play their constitutional role in the house.
