NAB, FIA actions intervention in provincial autonomy: Qaim

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that the activities of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) are an ‘intervention in provincial autonomy’.
Talking to the media at an FPCCI programme on Monday, he said the FIA and NAB had no jurisdiction to conduct raids in Sindh.He said the executive authority of the federal government or officers of its agencies could not replace the functions of the Sindh government in respect of criminal offences regarding corruption of provincial civil servants.
He said the Sindh government usually gives powers to the Rangers but without asking the Sindh government, NAB and the FIA have been allowed by the Centre to conduct raids on the provincial and local government offices, arrest officers and paralyse the day-to-day working of the government. “I will not allow this. I consider it an invasion,” he said.
Replying to a question, he said that Sindh was the first province that had enacted the local government law but elections could not be conducted as they were challenged in a court of law. “We will not go to extend the local government election date. We are ready and we will hold the elections on September 20.”
He, however, ducked a question on extending the powers of the Rangers for another four months.He said the Sindh government was ready to hold the local bodies elections under security cover of the police and Rangers.
“We are prepared for the local bodies elections. But these will be under the police and the Rangers. Army can be a back-up force.”The CM elaborated that the Supreme Court had fixed Dec 20 as the deadline for Sindh to hold the local bodies elections and the Sindh government had made preparations accordingly.
Now the ball is in the Election Commission’s court, he said. It is up to the commission when it announces the schedule, he remarked.However, he added witnessing the bad experience of the recently held local bodies elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Sindh government would recommend that the election process be completed in the province in three phases for ensuring peace and transparency.
He pointed out that during General Musharraf’s government, the local bodies elections were completed in Sindh province in three months.He said the Sindh government strongly believes in devolution of powers.