KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s central leader and MPA Khawaja Izharul Hasan on Tuesday said those who commit corrupt practices have been making black laws. The rejection of the recently-passed local government bill by all the major political parties bewildered the Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and isolated the PPP at the national level.
Addressing a press conference outside the Sindh Assembly building, Khawaja Izhar said everyone is aware about the corrupt practices of PPP, adding the PPP leaders are using the ‘Sindh ethnic card’ to cover up oppression and injustice of its provincial government.He said the MQM-P was also not consulted on the local government bill of 2013. “The PPP is looting resources of the nation with both hands,” he alleged. He said the PPP considers seeking powers for the local governments an enmity with the country.
He said the recently-passed local government bill was based on negative and ethnic thoughts of PPP and its provincial government was trying to continue grabbing the resources of the urban localities of Sindh.
Separately, Pak Sarzameen Party Chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal on Tuesday said the PPP rulers in Sindh were showing their true colours by fanning the ethnic hatred and bias through their acts and statements and the nationalist face of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is dreaming of becoming the next premier, has been exposed to the public.
“On the one hand, the PPP’s chief minister oppressed the people by occupying all the resources and powers bestowed by the Federation, while on the other hand, it tells the Sindhis that Punjab, the establishment and the Federation are oppressing them,” said Kamal, while addressing a press conference at the party’s office. As long as the PPP continues to rule, they are not bothered either by Punjab or Establishment or Federation, but as soon as their government is over, they stand against the state. When Bilawal Zardari goes to Sindh, he portrays himself as Sindhi and when he visits Punjab, portrays himself as a Pakistani, he said.
Kamal said that the PSP rejects the Local Government Act of 2013 and the Act of 2021 also calls for the fixing the 2001 law by giving more powers to local bodies governments. “Dubai’s property value has increased thousand times because of the money laundered by corrupt people of the PPP,” he alleged.
The PSP chief said that the Sindh government has not been giving us drinking water or proper sewerage system for the last 13 years. “They have not given a single job to the people of Karachi. Even by making fake domiciles, PPP workers are being given jobs on urban quota.”
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh requested President Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan to take notice of anti-constitutional measures of the Sindh government and irresponsible attitude of CM Murad Ali Shah and demanded constitutional steps for safeguarding the public rights and solidarity of the country.
In a letter to President Dr Arif Alvi and PM Imran Khan, Shiekh drew their attention towards some of the occasions where PPP’s Sindh government has been acting in contravention of Constitution of Pakistan and CM Murad Ali Shah has adopted highly irresponsible, objectionable and negative attitude.
“The provincial government was misusing its majority in the Sindh Assembly and had started legislation in contravention to the Constitution of Pakistan,” he said in the letter. “The Sindh Assembly passed three acts on various subjects in 2013 but the Supreme Court of Pakistan struck them down, declaring those acts as in contravention of the Constitution.”
On November 26, the PPP passed a bill with certain Amendments in Sindh Local Govt Act (SLGA) 2013 without presenting and referring it to the standing committee for necessary consultation, he said, adding that it was a clear violation of Rule 99 of Sindh Assembly Rules of Business, he said. Referring to various sections and schedules of SLGA 2013, he termed the act and recent amendments as a serious violation and against the spirit of articles 140-A as well as 7, 8 and 32 of the Constitution, which required devolution of political, administrative and financial responsibility and authorities to local governments through their elected representatives.
He also stressed on the federal government to move as per the Constitution to its uphold supremacy in the largest interest of democratic norms, safeguarding public rights and solidarity of the country.
Meanwhile, JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Tuesday held a press conference at the JI headquarters to announce that JI Pakistan Ameer Sirajul Haq will lead the Save Karachi March while women and children will also be participating in it.
The march will be taken out in protest against the controversial bill. He said that PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah should apologise to the nation for calling the people of Sindh illiterate. He said that in 1972, the PPP had introduced the ethnic bill to provide ethnic cover to the dictatorship of feudal lords and the party was repeating the same. The JI leader said that practically the PPP has become a bunch of feudal lords who want to maintain their rule by increasing tensions among the people.
He said Bilawal issued statements to portray that he is a liberal leader but on the ground his party leader killed Nazim Jokhio. He said the JI leadership hails the COAS for his discussion on the Karachi Transformation Plan and packages announced for the city. However, he said, people want to know about the progress on the KTP during the last 13 months.
