Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly, Haleem Adil Sheikh, rejected provincial cabinet’s proposed amendments in Sindh Local Government Act 2013 and said that the law would be acceptable only if it is completely revamped in accordance with constitutions of Pakistan as per directives of the Supreme Court.
Addressing a joint press conference along with PTI parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly Khurram Sherzaman at Sindh Assembly building here Tuesday, Haleem Adil criticized Sindh government for approving amendments in the controversial LG act without consulting the opposition parties and termed it as a deceptive and delaying tactic.
He said that Sindh government assured the provincial assembly that an all inclusive select committee would be formed to revisit and revise the SLGA 2013 in consultation with all the representative parties and in accordance with directives of the Supreme Court and constitution of Pakistan but PPP had not opened the doors of dialogue so far.
Haleem Adil Sheikh said that PPP breached the promise from the very first day by declining floor to the Leader of the Opposition and parliamentary leaders of Opposition parties while the said select committee was not notified yet despite forwarding names of its nominated members to minister of parliamentary affairs but those names were not submitted to speaker secretariat to date.
“We already knew that PPP believes in fraud and deception but we wanted to give them another chance and to expose their fraudulent approach before the masses,” he said adding that PPP had violated sanctity of the august assembly. PTI and other Opposition parties have been opposing the black LG law because 21 sections and 3 schedules of SLGA 2013 negates the true spirit of devolution while the apex court has also annulled its sections 74 and 75, he said and vowed that PTI would continue its movement against the black law unless it is purged of all the controversial provisions and made commensurate with constitutional requirements and judgment of supreme Court.
“PTI will protest in Sindh Assembly and also take it to roads if we are not allowed to speak in the Assembly on LG law and other burning issues of Sindh. The PTI parliamentarians will then hold sit in outside CM house and Bilawal House,” Haleem announced.
The Opposition Leader also censured Sindh government for its failure in maintaining law and order in the province and said that Sindh particularly its capital Karachi was left on the mercy of robbers and the outlaws had made the citizens hostage.
He said that dozens of people had been killed by robbers in Karachi this year and recently a senior journalist Ather Mateen was shot dead by outlaws. Lives of citizens were not safe and honour of daughters being violated in universities, he said adding that even women were not secure inside their homes as robbers break in the house and molest them.
Haleem Adil Sheikh said that PTI wanted to take up issues of deteriorating law and order; murders of Namarta, Nousheen Shah and harassment of Perveen Rind and Bakhtawar Soomro in universities, violence against Kanawal and Fiza in Naukot and killing of 5 people of Bhand community in Nawabshah, but the speaker did not allow us to exercise our right as assembly members.
Due to criminal negligence and inefficiency of prosecution department, 7800 suspects who were arrested by police managed to get bail from courts as officials of investigation and prosecution department weaken the cases after receiving bribes, he alleged and remarked that seeking explanation from police, SHO was not enough and the situation could not be improved without removing Murad Ali Shah.
