• Calls upon interim CM to withdraw official protocol from former ministers
• SUP delegation also meets Baqar, demands deportation of illegal immigrants

KARACHI: A week after it expressed a lack of trust in the caretaker Sindh government, a delegation of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) on Monday called on interim Chief Minister retired Justice Maqbool Baqar and demanded a massive reshuffle in the provincial bureaucracy and police and suspension of elected local governments to ensure free and fair general elections.

A brief statement issued from the CM House stated that the GDA delegation comprising former National Assembly speaker Dr Fahmida Mirza, Sardar Rahim, Irfanullah Marwat and Barrister Hasnain Mirza met Justice Baqar and discussed with him issues of mutual interests.

However, sources said that the GDA team presented a memorandum of their demands to the caretaker CM to ensure transparent elections in the province.

Talking to Dawn, GDA spokesperson Sardar Rahim said that the demands in the memorandum included replacement of all provincial secretaries, deputy commissioners and superintendents of police posted in districts.

He said that the GDA also sought removal of party material/flags and pictures of political leaders from all government properties, especially buildings, offices and vehicles and withdrawal of official protocol from former ministers and advisers.

He said that the GDA also wanted suspension of all local councils and appointment of non-partisan administrators for free and fair elections.

He said that the GDA team also complained to the chief minister that provincial assembly constituencies in districts Sanghar and Khairpur had been abolished malafidely and wilfully by the previous government of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

He said that they pointed out to the chief minister that the people of the province were not satisfied with the performance of the caretaker government because of the uncontrollable price hike especially in sectors of electricity, gas, food, petrol and diesel.

Earlier, talking to the media after meeting with the chief minister, the GDA leaders said that the appointment of neutral Election Commission and neutral officers was very important for a transparent election.

They said that they would announce a joint action plan with their allies if their demands were not met.

Dr Fahmida Mirza said that the GDA demanded for a transparent election. “Everyone knows how the local government elections have been held in Sindh and how the people’s mandate has been taken away,’ she added.

Sardar Rahim said that the chief minister had good reputation and the GDA had no problem with him. “But he [CM] has to devise a system for conducting transparent elections,” he said.

SUP delegation also meets CM

The Sindh United Party (SUP) also met the interim CM on Monday and demanded that the decision of the Provincial Apex Committee be implemented for the return of illegal immigrants including Afghan refugees.

A delegation of the SUP, headed by party president Zain Shah, met the caretaker chief minister at the CM House and asked him to intensify the operation against dacoits and criminals in riverine area.

According to a statement issued by the SUP, the CM assured the SUP team that he would work with the interior minister to formulate a strategy for the return of foreigners including Afghan refugees.

The delegation informed Justice Baqar that peace could not be established in the province until the dacoits and criminals were brought to justice.

The CM said that the provincial police chief would be instructed to intensify the operation against dacoits.

The delegation complained to the chief minister that thousands of police personnel were deployed for the security of the former provincial ministers and advisers of the previous government, due to which the police were failing to maintain law and order.

The SUP leaders informed the chief minister that the provincial Election Commissioner was completely biased and it was not possible to conduct transparent elections in their presence.

They said all political parties except the PPP had demanded the removal of the provincial election commission.

The chief minister assured the delegation that he would play his full role to make the upcoming general elections clean, transparent and impartial.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2023