Repeal LG law before interim set-up, demand Sindhi writers
Karachi: The Sindh Writers and Thinkers Forum (SWTF) has called on the government to repeal the Sindh People’s Local Government Act, 2012 (SPLGA) before its term comes to an end.
Speaking at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Saturday, Sindhi intellectuals criticised the Pakistan People’s Party for betraying the people of Sindh by implementing a new system of local governance in the province.
Jami Chandio, the Centre for Peace and Civil Society (CPCS) executive director, vehemently criticised the government for passing the act, saying it has led to a “dual system” of government in the province. “Sindh is the historical homeland of native Sindhis and other permanently settled patriotic citizens. Its geographical unity stands eternal and nobody has the right to divide this province,” he said.
The reason behind the heavy mandate offered to the PPP by the people of Sindh was to establish a responsive and stable government in Sindh. “But on the contrary, the federal and opportunist elite have, in the name of reconciliation, joined hands with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement,” Chandio claimed.
“We believe that during the past four and a half years, the feudal-urban terrorist nexus has virtually damaged peace, rule of law, education and physical infrastructure of the province,” he said. “The PPP has ditched the hopes of the people of Sindh and created an atmosphere of hopelessness in the whole province.”
“In its electoral manifesto of last election, the PPP had promised undoing all the anti-Sindh measures taken by the Musharraf regime,” Chandio said. He cited the division of Hyderabad into four districts, “illegal” construction of Greater Thal Canal and the merger of Karachi’s five districts as examples of the discriminatory polices.
“Besides being discriminatory, the SPLGA was passed undemocratically. It was against democratic norms and parliamentary protocols,” he said.
Appealing to the people of Sindh not to vote for any individual or party that has betrayed Sindh, the SWTF members demanded the government to annul the local government law before the interim government takes over.
“In the upcoming elections, the vote should be given to the people who could come up with a clear programme to serve Sindh and ensure unity,” said Chandio.
At the press conference, Shaukat Hussian Shoro, Professor Mushtaq Mirani, Mushtaq Ahmed Shoro, Zulfiqar Halepoto and Arbab Chandio were also present.
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