Sindh needs ?tripartite dialogue?

[ahlam1399]

At a time when Opposition and the PPP fear that certain forces are trying to make unanimously passed 18th Amendment controversial, proposal given by Federal Law Minister Dr Farogh Nasim to Prime Minister Imran Khan for invoking Article 149 in Sindh for development projects minus provincial government, is dangerous and not practical as it could lead to more problems with far reaching political consequences. The possible way is the ‘tripartite dialogue’ between federal, Sindh and city governments.The PPP already is planning ‘Long March’ after Eid depending on weather and ‘political heat’ while the prime minister and his core team were expecting a major NAB crackdown on both the PPP and the PML-N’s top leadership by that time. In this backdrop when things are not heading for political stability how practical will be this proposal and will PM accept it. He may seek legal and political opinion for his other allies as well.Article 149, clause IV, of the 1973 Constitution, as suggested by the federal minister says “The executive authority of the federation shall also extend to the giving of direction to the province as to the manner in which the executive authority thereof is to be exercised for the purpose of preventing grave menace to peace and tranquility or economic life of Pakistan or any part thereof’.Such a formula was once applied during the government of former president Pervez Musharraf when the then governor of Sindh, Dr Ishratul Ibad was empowered to look after the issues related to urban Sindh. But at that time, power centre was Musharraf and both provincial and city governments were his allies. Due to understanding between Musharraf and the then united MQM, which only extended its support for former chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim on the said condition as Rahim hardly had any viable support in the provincial assembly.Here the case is different and the PPP not only has enough seats in the assembly but was also controlling local government through Sindh Local Government Act 2013.There is no doubt that the 18th Amendment brought an end to decades-old debate on ‘provincial autonomy’ and provinces are now empowered to look after health, education, labour, law and order, it is also a fact that provinces were also supposed to empower local governments and make them financially independent and to make cities like Karachi, a metropolitan city. Political tension clearly reflected between Centre and Sindh, when during last visit of premier, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah was not invited in any meeting nor was informed about PM’s programme. While Sindh Governor Imran Ismail said the chief minister was informed, Shah sb denied the same, making things bad to worst.Now with the PPP leadership including CM is facing serious cases and inquiries of alleged corruption, money-laundering and fake bank accounts, and the Opposition intends to resist it, the proposal to invoke Article 149 may not be a workable solution.It will be interesting to see the possible reaction of PTI’s allies in rural Sindh, Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), which also includes some Sindhi nationalists on Article 149.Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and provincial capital, which gives 70 percent revenue to whole Pakistan, also suffered because of intra-political rivalry and biased outlook instead of being considered as the port city and the one which could help in making Pakistan economically strong.All three ie federal government of the PTI, headed by PM Imran Khan, Sindh government of the PPP and City government of MQM-P have problems and reservations against each other, some are genuine while others are political in nature.At present, all three are not on one page and the best solution to the problem is not by isolating anyone but by empowering all and therefore the best solution is that prime minister should initiate a ‘tripartite dialogue’ and justice should be done to all.Although the PTI and the MQM (Pakistan) are allies, and intend to strengthen their relationship and cooperation but by isolating the PPP or Sindh government, they could only vindicate Opposition’s concern that federation was trying to impose its rule in the province. So first the PM should address provincial government demand of Rs120 billion and decide the matter in NFC or can even call Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting, the most effective forum.But on the other hand, Sindh government and the PPP had also not done justice through Sindh Local Government Act 2013 and had practically crippled the powers of the mayor and KMC, who even otherwise only controlled 34 percent of the city. The Act negates the very concept that powers should go to the grassroots level.Even in the case of Hyderabad University, the prime minister could have asked the Sindh government through chief minister, for establishing a university in Hyderabad. At the same time the latter should also not oppose the very concept of having more than one university in any city.Unfortunately the issue of ‘Hyderabad University’ for years had been politicised and become more of an ethnic issue between the PPP and the MQM, rather an academic one.If for years Centre had done injustice with Sindh and other smaller provinces, it is also a fact that justice had also not been done with country’s financial capital and there is hardly any mega project which had either been completed or completed on time like Karachi Mass Transit, Lyari Expressway and now the future of mega water scheme of K-IV also unlikely to be completed. Uncertainty also prevails on the revival of much- awaited Karachi Circular Railway.The tripartite dialogue between Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and KMC mayor Wasim Akhtar could pave way for a lasting solution even at a time when political atmosphere is not every conducive.If an ‘Apex Committee’ could be formed for maintaining law and order during Karachi Operation in 2013 why such a committee could not be set up for economic progress both at the Centre and in Sindh. It is high time that all the three should take ‘ownership’ of Karachi, and develop country’s largest city a ‘mini-Pakistan’.The writer is a senior columnist and analyst of Geo, The News and JangTwitter: @MazharAbbasGEOhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/FUbyqqP-UsE

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