DADU/HYDERABAD: Sindh Chief Min­i­s­ter Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s reservations over delimitation of constituencies have been conveyed to the Election Commission of Pakistan and whatever the commission decides in this regard will be complied with.

He expressed his unawareness about the alleged “threatening statements” of MQM-P leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori. “I am not aware of the threat that MQM-P will take to the streets over the issue,” he said while speaking to journalists at Sehwan airport on Monday.

He said that his government had consulted with businessmen and hotel owners over proposed measures to conserve energy, which was the very engine of activities and movement in cities and towns.

“Our import bill has inflated a lot and we will have to tighten our belts now,” he said.

He said that everyone had a right to express his views. National economy faced many problems and “we’ll have to make difficult decisions to mitigate the effects of last few years of bad governance”.

PPP understands only language of love, not coercion, says Sharjeel

However, he remarked, “I am sure the prime minister has an experienced team which will fix the problems. We are ready to extend whatever help is required

from the province for the improvement of economy”.

He said that some federal ministers had visited Karachi and held a meeting with him on behalf of the prime minister to discuss issues of the country and the province.

The chief minister visited Bubak town after Sehwan. He was accompanied by PPP MNA Sardar Sikandar Ali Rahpoto and local party leaders Rais Amanullah Shahani, Makhdoom Zamir and others.

Sharjeel reminds MQM-P of IHC ruling on identical issue

Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, speaking to journalists at a luncheon hosted for the newly-elected body of the Hyderabad Press Club (HPC) at his Rawal House, Tandojam, on Monday explained the issues between PPP and MQM-P, and apparently referring to the latter’s alleged threat to take to the streets, remarked that “PPP understands only the language of love, and not coercion.

“We have accepted their all genuine demands and addressed their issues as best as possible”, he said, adding that the Sindh government was doing whatever was possible.

About delimitation, which appears to be the bone of contention between the two parties, the minister said “that delimitation proposals are always prepared by administration and then notified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)”.

Alluding to MQM-P’s demand for ‘fresh delimitations’ in the light of an agreement between it and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) before a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan-led government in April last year, Mr Memon wondered how fresh delimitations could be looked into when the second phase of LG elections in Sindh were just round the corner.

He said that federal government had taken some initiative for such delimitations in Islamabad through parliament but the Islamabad High Court passed an adverse order. “So how could an identical decision sustain in Sindh in the eyes of law?” he argued.

The minister said that the PPP was responding to MQM-P, which was an ally in the present federal coalition. “But there is only one way to talk to us and that is language of love and affection,” he remarked, and said: “We will listen to every logical thing”.

Propaganda of ‘deal with establishment’

Sharjeel Memon said that PPP was again facing a propaganda of a deal between its leadership and the establishment that allegedly led to the transfer of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases against Asif Ali Zardari from Rawalpindi to Sindh and made PPP to quit PDM. He noted that such an observation was made by a senior journalist.

The minister explained that all cases against [PPP co-chairman] Asif Ali Zardari were being tried in Rawalpindi and no case was shifted to Sindh.

He argued that had there been a deal, then [PPP women wing chief MPA] Faryal Talpur would not have been arrested. He said that it was PPP that had created PDM. It left the alliance on the point of resignations by lawmakers from assemblies. He recalled that some of the PDM components were insisting on quitting the assemblies but PPP had opposed the idea.

He pointed out that everyone witnessed that Imran Khan was ousted constitutionally through a no-confidence motion. Had they [PDM allies] resigned from assemblies, Imran Khan would still have been ruling over the country and destroying Pakistan economically, he said.

Challenge to Fawad Chaudhry

The provincial information minister challenged PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry to lodge an FIR against him in Lahore. “I am ready to face the allegation that I and [another provincial minister] Syed Nasir Hussain Shah had tried to bribe Punjab Assembly members”, he said. “it’s my open challenge to Fawad Chaudhry to prove any contact between me and any of Punjab Assembly members”.

Mr Memon stated that barring a few, he did not know any Punjab Assembly member.

“Let Fawad Chaudhry get my entry into Punjab banned”, he remarked.

He said he would be sending a legal notice to Fawad Chaudhry in this regard.

Published in Dawn, january 3th, 2023