KARACHI, July 2: The Pakistan Peoples Party government’s move to restore the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 1979 has triggered a new political flurry in the province as it has further widened gulf between the ruling party and its former ally, Muttahida Qaumi Movement, but at the same time brought it closer to the other opposition party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F).
PPP leaders insist they still believe in reconciliation despite serious criticism by the MQM against the SLGO 1979 but they hardly appear to be heeding concerns of the major opposition party in the provincial assembly.
“With this law in place, it’s now a proven fact that a certain mindset doesn’t want to transfer authority to the grassroots level,” Kunwar Naveed of the MQM’s newly-organised coordination committee told a press conference on Tuesday.
“We strongly oppose this system because we believe it negates the democratic norms and promotes red-tape culture. The people who were earlier facilitated at their doorstop for municipal problems have now been left at the mercy of commissioners, deputy commissioners and the bureaucracy,” he said.
Mr Naveed who also served as Hyderabad district nazim from 2005 to 2010 mainly mentioned urban areas of the province which he said had turned into garbage dumps over the past three years since the respective local government authorities had not had enough funds to pay salaries.
“We will not sit idle over this injustice with the people of Sindh. The MQM will raise voice on the issue in the parliament and take legal course if needed,” he said.
His party line on the issue, however, falls short of convincing the PPP. Though PPP leader Taj Haider reiterated to follow a policy of reconciliation, he did not sound confident when asked about the possibility of a review of the decision on the SLGO 1979 after the MQM’s strong reaction.
“We have due regard for what they (MQM) think and what their standpoint is over the law,” he said. “But the fact is that people of Sindh wanted this system back in place.
We firmly believe in the policy of reconciliation and despite the MQM’s strong reaction we have not closed the door on dialogue,” he said.
Though he replied in the affirmative when asked about the possibility of dialogue with the MQM on the issue to develop consensus, he did not say how it could happen.
“We are never afraid to hold dialogue. So, the same is the case with this issue. Once the system is in place and once the local bodies’ elections are announced, I think the democratic parties will join in and deliver through the same system,” said Mr Haider.
Surprisingly, Mr Haider has received an endorsement from an unlikely quarter, the opposition party of the PML-F which had not been having cordial relations with the PPP for the past few months.
Senior PML-F leader Imtiaz Shaikh said his party welcomed the government decision and wanted to be part of the process to make it more effective and result-oriented.
“It’s definitely a good move,” he said. “Maybe an amendment or two can be made to make it more effective and we are much willing to contribute to it. We have not been invited by the government yet to talk over it but if it does, we will definitely welcome it,” he said.