MQM floats new suggestions to ‘lure’ PPP on LG system

KARACHI: The MQM on Wednesday floated new suggestions on new Local Government system to allure the ruling PPP, but two sides failed to reach on a consensus formula.

The core committee of both the parties, which met at CM’s House, however agreed to continue consultation process till finalisation of a consensus draft on the Local Government Bill, 2011. According to official statement issued by the CM’s House, the meeting of core committee of two parties held at CM Secretariat, which was attended by Minister for Education Pir Mazharul Haq, Law Minister Muhammad Ayaz Soomor, Minister for Archives Rafique Engineer and Rasool Bux Baloch from PPP, while MQM’s Parliamentary Leader in Sindh Assembly Syed Sardar Ahmed, Dr Saghir Ahmed, MNA Wasim Akhtar and Kanwar Naveed Jamil represented the MQM.

The official statement said that MQM floated new suggestions on the local government system, which were related to the Local government department. Sindh LG Minister Agha Siraj Durrani was absent from the meeting, so it was decided that committee will meet again in his presence to deliberate teh suggestions of both the sides.The other coalition partners including PML-F, ANP, PML-Q and NPP were not invited to the meeting despite their repeated demands to take them into confidence on LG issue.

Meanwhile, the Sindh government has convened the Provincial Assembly session on Friday (tomorrow). Sources said that the Sindh Assembly is many days behind the required days in a parliamentary year, so the government has summoned the session. The assembly to meet on Friday, while after disposing off the business, will be adjourned till Monday. However, later, session would be adjourned and will meet again after the death anniversary of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto on December 27. The MQM members would be busy in arrangements for the party’s public gathering in Multan. – Nation