KARACHI Protests by locals and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement have put on ice a decision to bifurcate Hyderabad taluka by merging over two dozen Dehs and 12 Tappas into Tando Muhammad Khan taluka and transferring Tando Ghulam Hyder from T.M. Khan to Badin. A notification issued by the Revenue Department was put in abeyance on Wednesday on the orders of Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah.
Meanwhile, at the time of filing this report a joint session of PPP and MQM core committees was in session at the Chief Minister's House to sort out the issue. However, the matter is likely to be reviewed and a decision could be taken only after the return of Local Government Minister Agha Siraj Durrani from abroad, sources said.
Analysts told Dawn the proposed administrative change was aimed at strengthening the electoral prospects of Federal Minister Naveed Qamar as he felt insecure with the existing arrangement and was keen on the transfer of some Dehs and Tappas from Hyderabad taluka to Tando Muhammad Khan.
Likewise, the analysts added, the purpose of transferring Tando Ghulam Hyder from Tando Muhammad Khan to Badin taluka was the creation of a new constituency for Kamal Chang, a close friend of Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza.
