PPP to punish Mirza’s supporters within its ranks

The ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) decided on Thursday to take disciplinary action against around a dozen provincial assembly members (MPAs) of the party who had publicly supported Dr Zulfiqar Mirza’s point of view on the local government system controversy in the province.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the PPP ministers held at Chief Minister’s House with Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah in the chair. Almost all the ministers belonging to the party were called there to discuss the issue. The meeting also discussed various proposals to avoid more controversy on the local government system in the province. “Disciplinary action will be taken against anybody who works against the party policy, the party leadership and the party’s interests,” stated an official handout issued from CM’s House after the meeting.
The participants of the meeting condemned negative propaganda against the party. Elaborating on the decision of taking disciplinary action against those working against interests and policies of the party, the Sindh CM’s Special Assistant on Media Waqar Mahdi said that initially such members would be issued show-cause notices. He told Pakistan Today that if their replies were not found to be satisfactory, further action would be taken against them including expulsion from the party and accepting their resignations in case they were assembly members.
According to sources, the chief minister also discussed the local government system controversy with the ministers. Various proposals to handle the issue in and outside the Sindh Assembly were discussed.
LG SYSTEM CONTROVERSY: Sources said the chief minister was told about the constitutional position of the ordinance promulgated by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad, which is going to expire on November 6. Shah was told the government had to bring the ordinance in the provincial assembly for legislation before its expiry. However, it has become too difficult for the PPP to convert it into a bill and get it passed from the legislative house because of strong opposition by nationalists parties, especially from the PPP’s own MPAs.
The sources said that the chief minister was given a proposal that the party could keep saving face on the issue by only laying the LG bill in the house, and not making further legislation on it. According to the proposal, the government could request the chair to refer the bill to the house standing committee concerned for consideration. The movers of the proposal were of the view that in this way the party could oblige the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and also save its face politically in the province.
According to Waqar Mahdi, no decision has been taken so far regarding convening a Sindh Assembly session and about legislation on the local government system. He said any decision would be taken at the core committee of the PPP and MQM.