Sindh coalition partners fail to decide LBs fate

KARACHI - The coalition parties in the Sindh government have failed to reach any agreement over the fate of Local Bodies while the MQM has requested participants of the meeting to postpone the decision till January 7.
Sources concerned informed The Nation that the MQM was not happy at the induction of ANP in the Core Committee of the coalition parties.
The ANP claimed that MQM opposed its inclusion in the Core Committee. ANP leader Shahi Syed said that they were part of the PPP coalition government in Sindh, NWFP, Balochistan and the Centre, maintaining that it was the right of ANP to be a part of Core Committee.
The sources said that the Core Committee meeting Sindh has been adjourned till January 7 at the request of MQM senior leaders, Dr Farooq Sattar and Waseem Aftab, as they want to attend the partys general workers meeting.
The meeting of the Core Committee was held at Chief Minister House, Sindh. Sindh Senior Minister Pir Mazharul Haq, Sindh Local Bodies Minister Agha Siraj Durani and Ayaz Soomro represented the PPP while MQM parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly Sardar Ahmed and Abdul Haseeb represented the MQM. Provincial Minister Ameer Nawab represented the ANP and Imtiaz Sheikh represented the PML-F.
It is learnt that PPP, Awami National Party and PML-F have agreed on restoration of 1979 Local Bodies system, but the MQM expressed its reservations over the appointment of administrators in the province. The MQM is of the view that the upcoming Local Bodies elections should be held under supervision of Nazims. The MQM suggested that the commissioner-based system can be made functional in Karachi and Hyderabad under the Nazims.
It may be noted here that the tenure of LBs expired on December 31 and now it is up to the province whether to hold elections or abolish the system.