Deadlock persists between PPP, PSP on Sindh Local Bodies Act

KARACHI: The fifth round of negotiations between the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) failed to reach a breakthrough as deadlock persists on key sections of the Sindh Local Bodies Act.

The PSP protest sit-in led by party leaders Mustafa Kamal and Anis Qaimkani at the Fawwara Chowk has entered the fifth day. The party leadership has announced to continue sit-in till the fulfillment of their demands.

Kamal, earlier, in a news conference had said that the protest sit-in is not a symbolic gesture, and his workers are with him till the very end. “There has not been a break of even a minute. My mothers, sisters are sleeping on the streets. This is not a point-scoring attempt.”

Read more: Resource allocation mechanism under PFC our core demand: Mustafa Kamal

We live in an independent country but all civic independence is only restricted to the papers of the constitution but not being implemented.

“As like the NFC where all chief ministers decide the resource allocation, the provincial finance commission should have members including all 23 elected mayors,” he said.  “The NFC formula should be applied on the PFC.”

Read more: Local bodies minister briefs Sindh cabinet on agreement with JI

Earlier, the Jamaat e Islami (JI) on Friday announced to end its protest after 29 days, as the Sindh government agreed to accept its demands regarding amendments in the Sindh Local Government Act.

The decision in this regard was taken in a meeting between a delegation of the Sindh government led by Provincial Local Bodies Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and JI leadership including JI Karachi Chief Hafiz Naeem and MPA Syed Abdul Rasheed. Pakistan Peoples Party’s Dr Asim Hussain and Waqar Mehdi were also present on this occasion.