KARACHI, Oct 1: Chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf Hussain has demanded that Sindh’s share in the NFC award, education, health and employment should be compatible with its income.

He also demanded an increase in the budgetary allocation for education and health, and making the police localized and under the mayor of the city government.

He was addressing the party’s election meetings via telephone in New Karachi, Shah Faisal Colony and Society on Monday. He was of the view that in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century, at least five per cent of the budget should be allocated to education and four per cent should go to the health sector.

He emphasized that the provision of cheap electricity, water, sanitation system, hospitals and providing security and protection to religious minorities and their places of worship would be the prime concern of Muttahida.

He also promised to give more rights and opportunities to women, and would banish ‘karo kari’ and marriage with the Holy Quran.

Hussain demanded that the police should comprise of local people, and non-locals should not be appointed to the police, secret agencies and other departments.

He reiterated the MQM demand for drafting a new constitution and autonomy to the provinces in the true spirit of the 1940 Lahore Resolution, as well as administrative restructuring, human welfare, development and security.

He said that the abolition of the feudal system, eradication of political authoritarianism, economic inequality, social disharmony and the promotion of cultural pluralism are its objectives.

The MQM claims that all the past constitutions, including the 1973 Constitution, failed to provide the fundamental rights, security, democracy, freedom, social justice and equality to the people of Pakistan, specially to the people of smaller provinces. None of these constitutions could protect itself.

The main reason behind not achieving the above objectives and failure of these constitutions was the non-inclusion of the true spirit of the Lahore Resolution of 1940, which was the basis of the Pakistan Movement.

Keeping in view the inadequacy, imperfection and failure of the Constitution of 1973 to provide provincial autonomy and genuine democracy and to ensure a better quality of life to the masses, as well as the inalienable fundamental rights, equal economic opportunities, justice, security of life and property, provision of basic needs such as shelter, potable water, electricity etc., he said the MQM proposes the formulation of a new constitution by an assembly with equal representation from all the constituent units.

The proposed constitution not only envisages the reincarnation of the spirit of the 1940 Resolution, but will also be in conformity with the aspiration of the people, he claimed.