KARACHI, Nov 27: The Sindh Democratic Alliance leader, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, who is the candidate of the Grand National Alliance for the Leader of House in Sindh Assembly, has come out with demand for the postponement of the assembly’s inaugural session until after Eid.
The session was originally scheduled to be held on Nov 25 but put off for three days.
At a hurriedly called press conference at his residence Tuesday evening, hours before the opening of the session, Dr Arbab, seeking the slot of chief minister, said that the postponement would facilitate political groups in the House to overcome the impending political deadlock and save the democratic process as well as the assembly.
He said that following the decision by Muttahida Qaumi Movement to sit on the opposition benches, the deadlock had turned into a crisis as other groups in the House had already failed to make any headway in the formation of a coalition and agree on a consensus candidate for the office of the CM. He referred to the series of negotiations involving the GNA, MQM, PML-F and MMA in this regard.
Reminding that none of the political parties in the House enjoys simple majority, Dr Arbab said: “The situation is not similar to that in other provincial assemblies or in the past assemblies owing to the peculiar circumstances.”
It may be recalled here that the total strength of the Sindh Assembly is 168 but six seats have been vacated by those who were elected on National Assembly seats also.
The present party position in the House is as follows:
PPP Parliamentarians 67, MQM 41, PML-Q 15, National Alliance 14, PML-F 13, MMA 10, Independents 02 and Mohajir Qaumi Movement 01.
Giving another justification for his demand for the postponement of the session, Dr Arbab said that some of the members-elect had proceeded to Harmain Sharifain to perform Umra and their presence in the House might help end the deadlock. “Their presence does matter,” he insisted.
Flanked by Mir Hasan Khoso, Irfanullah Marwat and Maqbool Ahmad Shaikh, Dr Arbab said that he had called on Governor Muhammedmian Soomro and conveyed his group’s feelings. He said that the governor had assured him that he would consider the request for the postponement of the session. He, however, quoted the governor as saying that the session was summoned by the President to administer oath to the newly-elected members and that he would have to look into his constitutional position with regard to the postponement.
Responding to a question, Dr Arbab said that apart from the demand, he and his party colleagues would continue negotiations with other parties and groups. “A meeting is to be held with the MMA leadership,” he pointed out.
Referring to the MQM’s decision to sit on opposition benches, the GNA leader said that all was going well with the GNA heading for an understanding with the like-minded groups in the House before the new development. “Our talks with certain groups were progressing smoothly and a consensus candidate for the Leader of the House was about to emerge,” he said adding that the situation, arising out of the split mandate and the ensuing unexpected moves by some parties, required some time to become clear. He was still optimistic about GNA having been able to strike an agreement with like-minded groups if allowed more time.
Later, talking to a group of journalists, SDA chief Imtiaz Ahmad Shaikh urged all the parties and groups in the House to strive hard in order to end the political deadlock.
When asked about chances of an understanding with the PPP, he remarked that talks could be held with the PPP if it agreed on a National Alliance candidate as CM.
Asked if the NA had been facing problem in continuing its dialogue with the MQM after the latter’s move to field its candidate for the top slot, Mr Shaikh said: “We never faced any problem in holding talks wit MQM leaders.” On the contrary, he added, before its decision to sit on the opposition benches, the talks to agree on a consensus candidate for the CM slot were progressing satisfactorily.
