Sindh's opposition protests a controversial local government law governing education and health

By Team CG
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December 06, 2021
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Major political groups in Karachi have stepped up their protests to persuade the Sindh government to rescind the recently enacted "controversial" local govt bill, which they see as an attempt by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to gain more power.

In the absence of the opposition, the governing PPP recently amended the LG law to remove the roles of education and healthcare from municipal authorities and replace open voting for mayors and deputy mayors with secret balloting, based on its numerical majority in the province legislature.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) filed a lawsuit in the Sindh High Court last week, challenging the PA's plan to change the Sindh Local Government Act. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), both coalition partners in the federal govt, have organised separate multi-party gatherings to rally opposition to the bill's adoption. The MQM-P and Jamaat-e-Islami both stage protest rallies in the city on a regular basis.