KARACHI: The PPP-MQM core committee?s meeting on the future of local bodies system in the province remained inconclusive on Wednesday as both sides agreed to communicate their suggestions to their party leadership for a final decision.
At the end of the meeting, which concluded at the Chief Minister?s House after midnight, it was evident that both sides still had differences in approach and stood their ground. But to demonstrate a semblance of cooperation, they decided not to come out with conflicting statements after the meeting. Both sides have nevertheless articulated their reservations.
It was decided that PPP and MQM would forward their suggestions to Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Governor Ishratul Ibad Khan for seeking approval of their party?s leadership, said Waqar Mehdi, Special Adviser to the chief minister of Sindh.
The PPP team comprised Senior Minister Pir Mazhar, Agha Siraj Durrani, Ayaz Soomro, Murad Ali Shah and Rashid Rabbani. The MQM side was led by Dr Farooq Sattar and others who attended were Syed Sardar Ahmad, Raza Haroon, Dr Saghir, Adil Siddiqui and Hyderabad Nazim Kunwar Naveed.
Even before the core committee went into session for deliberating the future of the local bodies? system in the province, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah had indicated that his party was supportive of restoring the old commissioner system in the province and claimed that he had the support of other coalition partners.
He said this while inaugurating a grid station in Memon Goth on Wednesday.
Although no official statement was made about the outcome of the core committee?s meeting, sources privy to the deliberations said that while the PPP was in favour of the revival of 1979 local bodies? system, the MQM was insisting on the continuation of the present dispensation under Nazims.
The MQM said that instead of appointing administrators elections should be held to ensure continuation of the process.
If there were any shortcomings, they could be removed through an amendment instead of scrapping the entire system altogether, the MQM said.
