LARKANA, Nov 2: Sindh National Front chairman Mumtaz Ali Bhutto has said that a new local government system will be acceptable only if it envisages five districts in Karachi and restores the old status of Hyderabad as one district.

Speaking to reporters at his residence here on Wednesday, he said there was no need for the governor to issue ordinances in the presence of an elected provincial assembly in which all but three members sat on treasury benches.

“This (issuing of ordinances) robs legislators of the right to express their views in the assembly,” Mr Bhutto said.

In reply to a question about the government’s contacts with nationalist leaders on the issue, he said the rulers would never invite him to advise them because he always pinpointed their mistakes.

Our Hyderabad bureau adds: Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party chairman Dr Qadir Magsi has said that Sindhis will not accept any local bodies system which turns them into aliens in their own towns.

He said that the new local bodies system being talked about by the PPP and MQM was like “old wine in a new bottle”, adding that jugglery of words could not hoodwink Sindhis.

In a statement on Wednesday, Dr Magsi said that Sindhis had rejected Gen Musharraf’s local bodies system by observing a wheel-jam strike on Aug 13 and given a verdict in support of the old status of Karachi and Hyderabad. Therefore, the STPP chief added, the PPP and MQM should keep in mind the message and spirit of the strike before taking any decision.

He said the PPP-led government merely wanted to prolong its rule by appeasing the MQM and “collecting as much wealth as possible through corruption”.

Dr Magsi called upon the government to introduce the commissioner system and restore Karachi and Hyderabad to their previous status.