Sindh’s mere 40 per cent share in natural gas unconstitutional, says JI

In their ongoing campaign against the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) provincial government passing the allegedly controversial Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2021, the Jamaat-e-Islami will hold protest demonstrations on Sunday (today).

Moreover, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) protest outside the provincial assembly scheduled for today has been postponed because of the Sher Shah incident, while the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Awami National Party (ANP) held a meeting on Saturday to build momentum for the campaign against the bill.

‘Save Karachi’

The JI’s Karachi chapter will hold its ‘Save Karachi’ march from the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah to the Tibet Centre on Sunday as part of its campaign against the recently passed LG bill.

Addressing a news conference outside the head office of the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) on Saturday, JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said Sindh receives only 40 per cent share of gas production. He pointed out that Article 158 of the constitution makes it clear that the province from which natural gas is taken deserves it on a priority basis.

He said that unfortunately, at the time of the ongoing crisis, when the supply for domestic usage is affected, the government ensures 70 to 100 mmcfd gas supply to a private company — K-Electric — as well as some projects, reportedly belonging to PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari. He also said KE owes Rs134 billion to the SSGC, but the private company enjoys uninterrupted gas supply from the company because of reasons best known to them. Rehman said that on the behest of its “foreign masters”, the PTI government has made the lives of 220 million individuals miserable.

The JI leader said Karachi contributes up to 54 per cent to the national exports. In the calendar year 2019 alone, Karachi contributed $164 billion to exports, but in response received only lip service in the name of development packages, he added. He said that apart from the Rs1.1 trillion package for Karachi announced by Prime Minister Imran Khan, PTI leaders Asad Umar and Imran Ismail had announced a 900MW power-generation plant for the city. “Where is the plant?”

Protest deferred

The PTI’s Karachi chapter has postponed its protest outside the PA scheduled for Sunday in order to mourn the victims of the Sher Shah incident, which claimed the lives of at least 14 people, including PTI MNA Alamgir Khan’s father.

The party had earlier announced holding a sit-in to try to pressurise the provincial government into withdrawing the LG bill and empowering the local bodies system.

Addressing a news conference outside the PA on Saturday, PTI Karachi President MPA Khurrum Sher Zaman said Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has sent water cannons and armed policemen to stop PTI workers from holding a peaceful protest against the recently-passed bill.

“We warn that if the police manhandle and disrespect the party’s female activists, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will be held responsible. The Sindh Assembly is a historical place. We respect it very much. I’m used to legislation, but several black laws have been passed in the PA in the last several years.”

He said the new LG act has been rejected by all the major democratic parties. “Today, by organising a peaceful protest, we will explain to the CM the difference between majority and minority.”

He also said the PTI has been fighting for the rights of the entire province, not just Karachi. “Our battle is the battle for Larkana, Sukkur and other cities.”

He further said the PPP’s bill is worse than the ordinance that they have amended. “No one in Punjab or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been protesting against the laws their provincial assemblies have passed.”

Zaman claimed that through the allegedly controversial legislation, the PPP will bring in toothless and financially weak mayors in Sindh’s cities. MPAs Arsalan Taj, Jamal Siddiqui and Adiba Arif Hassan, PTI leader Adnan Ismail, Nawaz Mandokhel and other leaders were also present on the occasion.

MQM-P-ANP meeting

An MQM-P delegation met ANP leaders on Saturday to thank them for attending the Muttahida’s multi-party conference on the issue of the allegedly controversial LG bill.

Abdul Waseem, Muhammad Rehan Chishti and Aslam Afridi were part of the MQM-P delegation that was received at the Bacha Khan Markaz, the ANP’s provincial headquarters, by ANP Sindh General Secretary Younas Bunairee and other leaders.

Leaders of both parties agreed that the PPP’s provincial government allegedly wants to bring a toothless LG system that cannot resolve the issues of the residents of the city. ANP leaders Haji Aurangzeb Buneri, Syed Hanif Agha, Sher Afridi and Dost Muhammad also attended the meeting.