KARACHI: The ongoing protest campaign by the opposition parties in the province against the recently enacted Sindh Local Government Act 2021 continued on Sunday with the Pak Sarzameen Party and Jamaat-i-Islami holding their separate demonstrations while the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen announced a multiparty conference (MPC) scheduled to be held on Wednesday.

Only on Saturday, opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Grand Democratic Alliance had formed a three-party steering committee to fight PPP’s new LG law and announced their first meeting for Monday (today).

The Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2021 has already become a law despite the fact that the governor had refused to give his assent to it.

PSP demands restoration of 2001 law; JI to stage sit-in at PA on 31st; MWM to host MPC on Wednesday

All the opposition parties have already rejected the legislation terming it a ‘black law’ and geared up against it in a bid to pressure the ruling PPP to reverse it.

PSP protest at Hasan Square

Amid ‘Go Zardari Go’ slogan, PSP chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal on Sunday announced launching what he called a decisive movement from Jan 2 against the LG law.

The party staged a big protest demonstration near Hasan Square in city’s district East as part of its ongoing protest against the new LG law. Senior leadership of the party, including its president Anis Kaimkhani, was also present.

A number of party activists, including women and children, were carrying banners, party flags and shouting slogans against the PPP leadership and rejecting what they called the ‘black law’.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Kamal said that his party would stage a protest outside the Chief Minister House. “We will not let PPP disintegrate remaining Pakistan...we will not allow a new East Pakistan,” he said.

He said that the rulers had to delegate powers to the grassroots level otherwise the city would witness ethnic riots over the control of one waterline.

Taking a dig at MQM-P, he claimed that “the champions of giving strikes call” had not staged a single protest against “snatching” of powers and resources by the PPP.

He said that in the presence of PSP no party could pit Mohajirs, Sindhis and Punjabis against each other. “People of this city will never fight on linguistic basis,” he said.

Mr Kamal demanded withdrawal of the LG law of 2021 and restoration of the 2001 law with more powers and resources so that people from Karachi to Kashmore felt empowered.

JI demo in North Karachi

A number of JI workers and supporters gathered in a North Karachi locality near Power House to register their protest against the enactment of LG law.

Carrying placards and banners, the protesters chanted slogans against the PPP government saying that the ruling party bulldozed “a black law” in the assembly.

Speaking to the protesters, JI city chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that his party would stage a sit-in outside the Sindh Assembly building on Dec 31.

He hoped that the Sindh government would have no option but to withdraw ‘the black law’ that was aimed at squeezing the administrative and financial authorities of local governments in the province.

He said that the law had exposed the people who believed in feudalism and were intended to impose their agenda across the province.

He remarked that feudal lords got a majority in the Sindh Assembly by suppressing the masses.

He said that the government was trying to put Sindhi- and Urdu-speaking communities against each other in Karachi, but the JI would not only foil the conspiracy but also expose those who were promoting ethnic politics.

“Some political parties in the city are opposing the black law only in drawing rooms,” he said, holding the MQM-P and PTI responsible for the miseries of Karachi.

MWM’s MPC on 29th

The Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen, expressing its concern over the new LG law on Sunday, demanded that the government review the legislation.

Speaking at a press conference, MWM leader Syed Ali Hussain Naqvi said that the government should take into consideration the concern expressed by almost all stakeholders on the bill.

He said keeping in view the situation, his party had decided to convene an MPC on Dec 29.

He said that all political parties of Karachi and rest of Sindh would be invited to the moot in which a future course of action would be decided after consultations.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2021