February 18, 2003	Tuesday	Zul Hijjah 16, 1423

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KARACHI, Feb 17: President Pervez Musharraf on Monday took serious note of the bickering over urban-rural divide in Sindh and the reported conflict between the local and provincial governments, saying this must come to an end, sources said.

He was addressing the Sindh cabinet during which he also expressed concern over the law and order situation.

Despite reservations expressed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement against President Musharraf’s most cherished local government and devolution system and the police ordinance, the president is understood to have remained unyielding on the issue, and expressed his resolve to continue with the two.

“This system has come to stay,” the president said, referring to the devolution plan under the local government system and the new police law. He termed the two very important measures essential for good governance.

In the context of the tussle between Nazims and components of the ruling coalition in Sindh, the president is said to have asked the Sindh cabinet not to consider Nazims of the city governments as their rivals. Instead, he emphasized the need for cooperating with Nazims, who are the product of the system introduced by his regime.

“Give the system of local government a chance,” he said.

In the backdrop of the reported friction between Nazims and the coalition partners, the president reportedly said that if there was any problem, it should be sorted out by the chief minister.

It may be pointed out that the MQM had boycotted the local government elections. As such, most of the city governments were dominated by the opposition proxies in Sindh.

Earlier, the president, who arrived in the city on Sunday, presided over the Baqai Medical University’s convocation and visited Ida Rieu Welfare Centre for deaf and dumb children.

Briefing newsmen about the meeting, the provincial information secretary, Mahtab Akbar Rashdi, said the president expressed grief over the murder of MQM leader Khalid bin Waleed. The president noted that this incident happened at a time when the city was fast moving on the path of normalcy.

“This was an act of those who want to destroy peace,” the president was quoted as saying. He nevertheless appreciated the mature and responsible manner in which the people of Karachi reacted to the sad incident of terrorism.

“This is a turning point in our history and this might be our last chance, if we do not look at the situation around us,” Ms Rashdi quoted the president as having said in the context of Iraq crisis.