KARACHI:Three major opposition parties of Sindh, Thursday, agreed to form a steering committee to further gear up their movement against Sindh Local Government Act (SLGA) 2013 and other extra-constitutional steps of PPP Sindh government.
The steering committee would formulate a comprehensive and coordinated strategy and line of action to mobile masses, moving the courts, holding sit ins and protests and in house measures for protection of rights of people and true devolution of powers to LG institutions.
It was announced in a joint press conference by Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh, Muttehda Qoumi Movement-Pakistan MPA Javaid Hanif and Central Information Secretary of Grand Democratic Alliance Sardar Abdur Rahim at GDA House. PTI Parliamentary Leader in Sindh Assembly Bilal Abdul Gaffar and other MPAs of PTI and MQM-P were also present.
Haleem Adil Sheikh speaking at the occasion said that all the opposition parties of Sindh were protesting against the authoritarian law and amendments as they believed that SLGA 2013 was in contravention to constitution and obstruction to devolution of powers to grassroots level.
The SLGA 2013 violated article 7, 8, 32 and 140-A of the Constitution while recent amendments in the act were introduced while bulldozing the rules and procedures of the assembly, he said adding that neither the court would allow promulgation of extra constitutional legislation nor the people would accept them.
He said that PTI, MQM-P and GDA constituted joint opposition in Sindh and were allies in federal government and they had agreed in principal to form a steering committee and frame a joint line of action to further pacify their movement against the anti people law SLGA 2013.
“We are united and determined for restoration and protection of fundamental rights of the people of Sindh and we will not bow against any pressure nor will stop our struggle till achievement of the set goals,” Haleem vowed.
The black law that deprived LG bodies of their powers by concentrating them into a centralized authority also irked people of Sindh and they were seeing it as an authoritarian elitist law that negates all their constitutional rights, he maintained.
Javaid Hanif of MQM-P said that province wide protests were continue in Sindh against SLGA 2013 and recent amendments and people from all the walks of life were part of those protests. Three major opposition parties vowed to take their protest to next level for protection of fundamental rights of people, he stated.
Due to week legal framework and limited authority LG institutions in Sindh failed to deliver during their previous term and entire Sindh from Karachi to Larkana was facing a dearth of civic issues including shortage of drinking water, lack of education, health, sanitation and other civic amenities, Javaid Hanif observed.
Sardar Abdur Rahim of GDA said that joint opposition had discussed the issue in detail and decided to take a joint line of action against the extra-constitutional measures of PPP government.
He said that joint opposition would also take all political and apolitical stakeholder on board and would further expedite their movement against the black law and restoration of basic constitutional rights and authority and function of LG bodies.
He said that issue would be raised in assembly, laws would be challenged in the courts, and masses would be mobilized for staging sit ins, protest rallies and demonstrations.
Further course of action would be shared later, he added.