The Local Councils Association (LCA) has accused the PPP-led government of using delaying tactics in holding local government election through the appointment of administrators.
The association of the four provinces for the continuation of the local government system would resist the appointment of administrators and any delaying tactics of the government, as the system was the nursery of basic democracy, sources in the association said.
This was stated by Dr Raheela Gul Magsi, newly elected president of LCA Sindh while talking to media persons here at a hotel on Sunday where the Nazimeen across the province were gathered to form the association.
She said that the association, like in other provinces of the country, was formed in Sindh for the continuation of the system as Pakistan People's Party (PPP)-led government wanted to abrogate the system.
She said the next local body election was the only way to save the system as it was in accordance with the aspirations of the public. "The government wants to repeal the system as it considers the 110 Nazimeen of the local government as anti-PPP," she alleged.
In reply to query that why the Nazimeen of Haq Parast group in Karachi did not participate in the event, she said that Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was with the association. In a convention, held recently at 90, MQM's headquarters, Altaf Hussain had fully supported the association, she added.
It was the MQM which had been forcing the government to continue the local government system through conducting the next election. She said President Asif Ali Zardari, who has the power to decide the fate of the system, should clear the government's position whether it is going to conduct election or repeal the local government law. The president should realise the importance of the system as his own sister, Faryal Talpoor, was elected twice as district Nazim, she added.
Anwar Hussain, office bearer of LCA, Punjab, said that the association would be a bridge between the City Government and federal/provincial government to solve any issue. He said the association, formed in Punjab and NWFP in 2006 and 2008 respectively, has been formed in Sindh and the same would also be introduced in Balochistan on October 13, 2009.
Initially, in four out of 23 districts of the province, like Therparkar, Khairpur, Tando Aalayar, and Sukkur, the association has made its set-up while the rest of the districts would also follow the four districts soon, he added.
The 22 Nazimeen have been elected as members in the general body election while seven members' Provincial Executive Committee has also been formed as following: Raheela Gul Magsi, Arbab Taaj Muhammad, Shah Noor Khan Mehar, Nasir Hussain Shah, Tahir Imtiaz, Khadim Hussain Meerani, Haji Junu Khan, as the president, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Convenor, General Secretary, Financial Secretary, and Information Secretary respectively.