KARACHI: PPP to take part in polls ‘despite all odds’
By Our Reporter
KARACHI, July 8: The Sindh Council of the Pakistan People’s Party on Friday slammed amendments to the local government laws, but maintained that it would not let the government get away with it and might allow its legislators to contest these elections because the government had kept this option open for itself in the amended rules of the game. Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the Council at the People’s Secretariat, Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Nafees Siddiqui, president and secretary general of the Sindh PPP respectively, said that the meeting had taken strong exception to the direct interference by the Sindh government in the local bodies elections, and called it ‘pre-poll rigging’.
The meeting was attended by a large number of council members, the party’s district chiefs, MNAs and MPAs from Sindh, they said.
They observed that through the powers delegated to the chief executive of the province under which he could suspend a nazim, etc., the autonomy of local government and sanctity of the ballot had been seriously eroded.
They severely criticized mass scale transfers and postings of police officers, particularly SHOs, in violation of the orders of the chief election commissioner. They asked the chief election commissioner to take notice of such violations.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah claimed that holding of teachers’ interviews in various districts of Sindh on July 3 was part of favouritism and misconduct, and accused the chief minister of using state machinery in campaigning for government candidates.
Referring to the reported statements of the chief minister, that the ruling PML would clinch 100 per cent seats in 11 districts of Sindh and that funds meant for the nazims belonging to the opposition would not be released, he said that it seemed that chief minister himself was contesting the elections. He deplored the threats of dire consequences being issued to PPP legislators and office-bearers.
Replying to a question, Mr Shah ruled out any electoral alliance with any component of the Sindh coalition. However, he said, local adjustments with anti-government democratic parties and elements were permissible.
Nafees Siddiqui told newsmen that the government had made 48 amendments to the SLGO so that the LB election results could be doctored. Fifteen sections had been scrapped and 46 new sections inserted, he added.
He referred to Section 179-A inserted only for the upcoming elections, and pointed out that under this section all local bodies were dissolved, on the pretext that nazims, naib nazims or councillors might influence the elections if allowed to continue with their jobs. “But at the same time, the government has allowed ministers, MNAs and MPAs to contest the LG elections without quitting their offices.”
He, however, maintained that although the PPP did not approve this, it would take part in the elections with the view not to leave the filed open for the coalition.
Mr Siddiqui also criticized Section 128 of the SLGO under which the chief executive of the province could, himself or through any officer specifically authorized by him, issue directives to a nazim for implementation in the public interest.
He also cited Section 131, that pertained to the provincial Local Government Commission which would have only one representative of the opposition, and pointed out the rule did not allow any appeal against a decision of the commission. This, Mr Siddiqui argued, was a ‘draconian law’ blocking the way of judicial process.
Under Section 132, he pointed out, the chief executive of the province had the powers to reject and over-ride any resolution or decision of a lower-tier council. He said the discretionary powers vested in the provincial chief executive had made mockery of the system.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Nafees Siddiqui also deplored the recent terrorist attack in London and said that it had hurt the innocent people belonging to different religions and nationalities.
