Not holding CCI meeting in 90 days: PM violated Constitution, says Murad

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan was not happy when the idea floated by Federal Law and Justice Minister Farogh Nasim for Centre’s ‘direct rule’ instead of governor’s rule in Sindh could not materialise amid strong opposition from the PPP-led Sindh government but also from his own allies in the province ie the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA).

This led to the tension between PM Imran and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. He believed that PPP played ‘Sindh Card’ and blocked some of his development schemes. Both had good relationship till early this year, and once even the premier was quoted praising Shah for coming well-prepared in all the meetings. The chief minister on the other hand use to go to the airport to receive the prime minister and was also told to remain present in some of the meetings as well. The premier also held few 10 to 15 minutes meetings on the sidelines of any larger meeting on matters relating to Sindh or on issues linked to Centre and Sindh.

At times the chief minister also came up with strong objection on matters connected with interference of the federal government and at times prime minister or his team has little answer. But the PM still has lot of praise for Shah even to an extent that some of the top PPP leaders were not happy over the cordial relationship between the two at a time when their leadership was facing cases. An anti-Shah lobby also tried to create some misgivings against him within the party for getting too close to Centre.

In the last 10 months things started going from bad to worse particularly in the post-Benami inquiry against the former president Asif Ali Zardari and NAB’s rising pressure on some of the Sindh ministers. The latest is some inquiry against the chief minister as well.

Chief minister has his own grievances against the prime minister and Centre. He strongly believed that unlike in the case of Punjab CM or that of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; PM Imran has not once held one-on-one meeting with him on matters relating to Sindh and deliberately distanced himself and on certain matters had even violated the Constitution.

“By not holding meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) after 90 days as per requirement the premier has actually violated the Constitution,” Shah told me as he explained why he did not receive the PM and not invited in any of the meetings premier held during his few hours stay Monday in Karachi.

“I was not invited nor asked by his protocol to receive him as per procedure. You can’t just go on your own,” he added. He hinted that what Centre is doing is not in its domain and could have far-reaching consequences.

“Besides CCI, he has not even held meeting of National Economic Council nor the finance minister has called the meeting of National Finance Commission,” Shah said. What happened within 24 hours after PM left Karachi was the strongly-worded resolution passed by the Sindh Assembly and that too unanimously with the backing of the PTI and the MQM-P led Opposition against the federal government decision not to name Sindh’s member in the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) and termed it ‘arbitrary’.

This should be a matter of concern for the PM and PTI’s federal government, that even his own party in Sindh and allies have shown some concerns. On the other hand, PM Imran decided to distance himself from CM and Sindh government in the backdrop of his ongoing tension with the PPP central leadership, whom he has accused of massive corruption which has blocked development schemes.

Sources said he and some of his close aides were confident that Shah would soon be arrested by the NAB, which they believe could lead to the change in Sindh setup and it appears he still has not dropped Farogh Nasim’s proposal completely.

Shah also apprehended that the government could be behind the NAB as whenever he talked strongly against the Centre he gets the notice from the NAB. “I have appeared before them in the past but this time they have sent me the questionnaire and I will shortly send them the reply,” he said.

The chief minister asked the NAB that instead of calling him to Islamabad they can come to Karachi as news regarding chief minister’s appearance often spreads panic in the government and work comes to a standstill.

“I am not going anywhere but there is always a way in dealing with such matters,” he added. But the PM during his last visit decided to keep distance from the provincial government and announced development schemes for Karachi without taking the provincial government on board, which led to new political controversy as reflected from his last visit to the economic hub and brought strong reaction from the PPP. Many felt the absence of the chief minister during the visit of the PM, from arrival to the number of meetings chaired by him. Whether the PM’s protocol and political aides deliberately kept him out on his instructions or Sindh Governor Imran Ismail wanted to keep him out is anybody’s guess.

There is also an ongoing tension between governor and chief minister, and it appears as the former wanted to assert himself and has a desire like his predecessor Dr Ishratul Ibad to have a decisive say in the matters relating to urban Sindh. He was by far the most powerful and longest serving governor in the province.

His reaction as why the CM was not invited showed his displeasure with Shah. The chief minister should have come to the airport as he knew the premier is arriving in the city. There was no need for special invitation; he reacted when asked by media about CM’s absence.

The development schemes for Karachi announced by the Federal Minister Khusro Bakhtiar on behalf of the prime minister includes transport and water schemes besides Circular Railway but the Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab questioned the announcement and said except for ‘green line’ bus service all other schemes had been launched by the Sindh government. Sindh has also reacted over the committee set up by the PM to look after Center’s development schemes in Karachi but has not included any representative of the provincial government. Even during the recent meetings held by the prime minister, only Sindh chief secretary was invited and not the chief minister.

The premier has also been under immense pressure from his party MNAs and MPAs for not doing much in Sindh particularly in Karachi, from where the PTI had won 14 out of 20 National Assembly seats and is leading Opposition party in Sindh, with MPA Firdous Shamim Naqvi as Leader of the Opposition. However, the PTI could not make much inroads in the interior of Sindh, and the recent success of Moazzam Abbasi in the by-election in Larkana PS-11, were celebrated as big achievement although he has retained his seat.

Sources said during the meeting of the PTI lawmakers with the premier Monday, some of the MPAs exchanged hot words with some federal ministers and officers regarding release of development funds.

“We are not doing much in Karachi and can face problems in the future particularly with local bodies elections due next year,” one of the MPAs was quoted by a source telling the PM.

PM’s ally the MQM-P, whose delegation during the meeting with him Monday, has also asked for the implementation on the accord signed between the two parties in the post-2018 elections.

Sources said the PM has faced opposition from security agencies regarding some of the demands of the MQM-P including return of its sector and unit offices. It appears as Rangers have put its foot down and has communicated to the PM in this connection. Thus the PM’s hands are tied regarding giving any relief to his MNAs and MPAs or allies.

It appears as the prime minister was not happy the way Sindh government had blocked and resisted the move to invoke direct rule. They may face similar difficulties in executing their plan announced by the Federal Minister Khusro Bakhtiar after PM met people from cross section of society including his party MPAs and allies.

Therefore, it is very clear that the PM has avoided the presence of CM, and wanted federal government’s own initiative in implementing some of the schemes and where they faced problems would use chief secretary’s input instead of chief minister.