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KARACHI: Fears of Sindh’s main political parties drawing new battle lines gripped the city after the MQM categorically rejected the commissionerate system and the PPP moved to forge a new political alliance embracing all parties except the Muttahida and PML-N.
While the MQM leadership decided to challenge in courts the imposition of what it called the “British-era system of bureaucracy-controlled governance” instead of democratic rule by people’s representatives, Sindh’s Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and other leaders of his party said the decision conformed to aspirations of the people.
And the provincial Information Minister, who is official spokesman of the PPP, invited leaders of various parties to a dinner on Sunday night reportedly to work out a line of action to confront the MQM challenge. The dinner was attended by Acting Governor Nisar Khuhro, federal Minister Khurshid Shah, the chief minister and members of his cabinet and leaders of Jamaat-i-Islami, ANP and Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan.
MQM leaders Farooq Sattar and Anis Kaimkhani said at a press conference that the Rabita Committee of their party at a meeting held simultaneously in London and Karachi had decided to exercise its ‘legal and constitutional’ right to go to courts and the people against the PPP move which “contravened Article 140-A of the Constitution”.
But the chief minister and Senior Provincial Minister Pir Mazharul Haq said Sindh had followed Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan in introducing the system and it had been welcomed by people at large.
Mr Kaimkhani said his party would raise its voice against the PPP’s decision in parliament and the provincial assembly and launch a mass contact drive across the country.
Dr Sattar accused the government of trying to blackmail the MQM. “This may be a conspiracy to divide Sindh and an attempt to pit Urdu- and Sindhi-speaking people against each other. The MQM has united the urban and rural people of Sindh and we will also foil the conspiracy to divide the province.”
He said legal and constitutional experts of the MQM were drafting a petition to be filed in courts.
He said the move reflected the inherent ‘autocratic approach’ of the government.
The MQM leader alleged the system was being restored to strengthen the monopoly of feudal lords and the privileged class over politics. The local government system was the essence of democracy and no civilised country could think of imposing a system that empowered the bureaucracy, he said.
“An efficient way of solving the problems of the people at the lowest level would have been to give power to those easily accessible to people. The commissionerate system will build up the bureaucratic infrastructure.” The MQM was in touch with other opposition parties and it wanted to strengthen the opposition, Mr Kaimkhani said.
He said the MQM was being punished for quitting the government. “The government is using strong-arm tactics to force the MQM to rejoin the government. However, we want to make it clear that this is 2011 and no one can pressurise the MQM.”
Immediately after the MQM announcement, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, during a meeting with ANP leader Shahi Syed, said the government had taken the decision in accordance with the aspirations of people. It will usher a new era of development and prosperity and help solve people’s problems.
“Karachi is mini-Pakistan and belongs to all of us. We should join hands for its development, prosperity, peace and tranquillity.”
The chief minister warned that those bent on destroying peace would not be spared and the law would take its course without any discrimination.
Shahi Syed praised the chief minister for restoring the commissionerate system, repealing the Police Order of 2002 and amending the Local Government Ordinance, assuring him of his party’s cooperation.
He praised the steps taken by the Sindh government to restore law and order.
