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PPP, MQM agree on new LG system

February 2, 2010

By Tahir Hasan Khan

KARACHI: On the intervention of President Asif Ali Zardari, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Monday agreed to merge the old and the present local bodies systems to create a new system for Sindh.

The local bodies system has become a bone of contention between the two coalition partners in the province. The MQM wanted the present LG system to continue while the PPP has been defending the 1979 LG system.

However, the sources said, both the parties accepted the president’s proposal of merging both the old and present LG systems in a meeting held at the Bilawal House here on Monday. The MQM and the PPP leaders met President Zardari to discuss the law and order situation, including target killings, besides other issues being faced by the the coalition government.

The president stressed the need for enhancing cooperation and coordination between the two coalition partners to foil the conspiracies of anti-democratic forces. The sources said President Zardari assured the MQM leaders that no party would interfere in the stronghold of other parties during election and the mandate of all the parties would be respected.

Expressing concern over the armed clashes in Karachi, the president told the leaders of both the parties that some elements were trying to shatter the coalition government in Sindh. “These elements do not like the existing atmosphere of reconciliation in the country and, therefore, they are trying to create differences among the coalition partners,” President Zardari told the MQM delegation.

The MQM delegation comprised Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Dr Farooq Sattar, Minister for Port and Shipping Babar Khan Ghauri, Sindh Minister for Health Dr Saghir Ahmed, Sindh Minister Adil Siddiqui and Waseem Ahmed.

Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Senior Sindh Minister Pir Mazharul Haq, Local Bodies Minister Agha Siraj Durrani, Law Minister Ayaz Soomro, Rashid Rabbani, Adviser to the CM on Information Jameel Soomro, Rafiq Engineer and PPP Karachi chief Najmi Alamâ€ were also present on the occasion.

Insiders said ahead of the meeting with the MQM leaders, President Zardari discussed the political situation with the local leadership of the PPP. He directed them to pursue the politics of reconciliation and settle issues with the allied parties through negotiations.

After the meeting, Dr Farooq Sattar told media persons that matters relating to the law and order and local bodies elections were discussed with the president. He said that it was decided in the meeting to resolve all the matters through negotiations.

He said the MQM expressed concerns over the law and order situation, which was created by the land and drug mafia. He said these elements were trying to disturb the law and order situation and destabilise the elected government. President Asif Zardari was fully supportive and assured of stern action against them, he added.

Responding to a question regarding the forthcoming local bodies elections, Dr Sattar said the president had already announced that the local bodies elections would be held in the next four months. He said both President Zardari and MQM chief Altaf Hussain were strictly following the politics of reconciliation.

Farooq Sattar said apolitical administrators would be appointed till the election of Nazims and councillors. Most of the issues had been resolved between the MQM and the PPP and the remaining matters would be settled in a meeting between the Sindh governor and the chief minister.

PPP leader Pir Mazharul Haq told reporters that most of the issues between the MQM and the PPP had been resolved. He said the president had advised the PPP and the MQM leaders to be cautious of the elements trying to create differences between the two parties.

“We are brothers and we will try to resolve all the differences through negotiations and we are 200 per cent confident of resolving the issues,” he added. Earlier, President Zardari held a meeting with Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, Secretary General to the President Salman Faruqui, Jameel Soomro and others. He directed them to involve the local people in the planning process of the new city, Zulfikarabad, being constructed in Sindh.
Source: The News
Date:2/2/2010