close
Thursday March 28, 2024

Chandio slams ‘separate NAPs’ for Sindh and Punjab

By Azeem Samar
January 22, 2016

Information adviser describes Charsadda university attack as failure of federal government and interior ministry 

Karachi

Sindh Information Adviser Moula Bakhsh Chandio has said the National Action Plan against terrorism is not being implemented on a uniform basis in the country as there is separate action plans for Sindh and Punjab.

“This tragedy in Charsadda shows the failure of both the federal government and the interior ministry,” he said on Thursday while commenting on the brazen terror attack on the Bacha Khan University in Charsadda. 

Wednesday’s attack left 20 people, including a professor, students and guards, dead.

Addressing a press conference at the media cell of Pakistan People’s Party, Chandio said: “We believe that the prime minister would not make any compromise on national security, but after the Charsadda tragedy the supporters of Taliban have become tight-lipped as they are still not ready to speak against them. These are the persons who have been constantly maintaining silence on the issue of Taliban.”

He alleged the existence of separate national action plans in the two provinces, saying that on several occasions the Punjab government had been criticised for not taking due action against the banned organisations operating in the province.

 

Show of hands 

“We do honour the mandate of all. The bill envisaging the system of show of hands [for electing leaders of local councils in the province] has been adopted not for doing rigging; rather, it is aimed at bringing transparency to the next stage of the local government polls,” said the information adviser in his comments on the local government amendment bill adopted last Tuesday.

He claimed that all other opposition parties except the Muttahida Qaumi Movement had supported the passage of the bill by the provincial assembly for introducing the system of show of hands for elections to the top posts of local councils, including those of the mayor, the deputy mayor and chairmen and vice-chairmen of the KMC and DMCs. 

“The opposition has the agenda of causing a commotion among its ranks and unrest for others.”

Chandio said: “The MQM itself is against rigging and this bill was introduced to allay its concerns, then for what cause have they been creating a commotion? This law has been present in other provinces too, but no fuss is being created there,” he said.

“The MQM is used to saying that there should be no stealing of the mandate. The entire [electoral] process will be carried out in front of all while there will no more be any instance of stealing [the mandate],” said Chandio. 

“We believe in empowering the people as the People’s Party always advocates the people’s sovereignty.”

Also speaking at the press conference, Law Adviser Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui said that in case any of the concerned quarters moved court against the passage of the local government bill, there could be a delay in the election of Karachi’s mayor and perhaps the MQM did not want any such delay.

President PPP Karachi Division Syed Najmi Alam said the MQM had been accusing the PPP of causing harassment to local government representatives, but the opposition party should know well that it lacked a majority in three of the six districts of Karachi Division. 

“In District South, the MQM has only 10 votes instead of the required 16 votes, then for what cause could the MQM level allegations against us?” he asked. 

The entire electoral process would be conducted in front of all after the adoption of the bill envisaging the system of show of hands for next stages of the elections, he maintained.

He said the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had submitted applications to the Election Commission of Pakistan for adopting a system of show of hands for the next stages of the electoral process for completing local councils. He said the bill had also been adopted for bringing transparency to the process of elections to reserved seats.

Rangers’ powers 

To a question, the law adviser said the provincial authorities had been waiting for the arrival of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in Karachi to discuss the issue of special law-enforcement powers of the Sindh Rangers in the city under the Anti-Terrorism Act. 

“In case he didn’t show up then we would see what to do on February 4,” he said while referring to the next month’s date when the latest extension for two months of the special powers of the Rangers in Karachi would come to an end.