KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Khawaja Saad Rafique on Sunday said that Sindh’s urban areas especially Karachi have turned to ruins over the years, and his party’s endeavour is to make a strong ‘political alliance’ in Sindh ahead of the general elections, which will translate the aspirations of people of this province.
He was talking to media along with Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan’s (MQM-P) convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui after his visit to MQM-P headquarters in Bahadurabad.
Saad said the time has come we should ensure equitable distribution of resources, and give them constitutional protection. Provincial Finance Award (PFC) should be made a reality now, and implanted in letter and spirit. Not only Karachi but also the entire country will benefit from it.
The resource distribution should now go beyond provinces, and devolved to the local government level. Local bodies system should be empowered as par with that of the civilized world. Although, the country has not been able to implement local bodies system up till now, the next parliamentary parties have to work collectively, in this regard, he said.
Saad asked political parties to come together and make political adjustments before the general elections. His party leaders have met with Pir Pagara – the PML-F chief – and the JUI-F in this connection. “We haven’t discussed on seat adjustment with MQM,” Saad said, adding rather, we are heading towards political reforms. We are going to give a common political agenda.
PML-N senior leader said he will recommend some key points including judicial, NAB and bureaucratic structure reforms to be included in his party’s election manifesto. “We don’t accept the NAB system which is being misused for political engineering and arm twisting,” Saad said adding this has hurt the economy of Pakistan.
MQM-P convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on this occasion said that the local government chapter should be given constitutional protection.
He was of the view that elections to National and provincial Assemblies should not be held as long as the local bodies’ government elections do not take place.
MQM-P leader also stressed upon the need to link the National finance commission (NFC) to provincial finance commission (PFC).
Earlier, addressing a presser at the Karachi Press Club, Saad Rafique said that his party’s focus is to go for the electoral alliance and partnership in Sindh.
He was flanked by his fellow party leaders including Muhammad Ayaz Sadiq.
Saad made it clear that the removing anyone from politics wasn’t part of their agenda. It had been decided that the PML-N would contest the upcoming elections jointly with the MQM-P and the JUI-F.
Ayaz Sadiq said the PML-N chief will visit Balochistan on November 14 for election campaigning.
“The way we established peace in Karachi, we will also ensure it in Balochistan,” he said.
The former minister insisted that no single party or institution can improve the country. “The Charter of Democracy should go beyond two parties and include all parties. There should now be a Charter of Economy,” he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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