KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Monday said the Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2021 will empower the local bodies politically and financially. He said that the Sindh Local Government Act is being called a black law by those who have imposed a unilateral Local Government Ordinance on Punjab.

Addressing a press conference at Media Cell Bilawal House, Chairman PPP stated that the PPP will empower the local bodies. “Property tax will directly be given to local bodies, and when they start collecting the taxes themselves, they will have the finances to help people,” said Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. He also said that in the coming local body elections, people across the country, including Karachi, will prove that the Pakistan People’s Party is the only party that has the solution to their problems.

Chairman PPP said that the local bodies will be strong politically too as the education, health and law departments of each town will be answerable to the elected bodies. They will have to provide a report every two weeks.

Bilawal said that since he was born, Mustafa Kamal and Wasim Akhtar have been reigning Karachi. He also said that he can sit with them if they have to offer constructive criticism. “PPP is the only party who speaks the truth and has good intentions,” said Chairman PPP.

Chairman PPP further said that this historic law will soon be introduced across Sindh. He said that the only reason other political parties are intervening is because they know they will lose in front of the ‘teer’. He said that it’s about time all of PPP’s political opponents accepted the success of the party and realized that PPP is stronger than ever.

“Compare all the hospitals of the Sindh government to others,” stated Chairman PPP. “We believe in free healthcare and all our government hospitals for the people are following international standards. JPMC has the facilities you find across the world. So does NICVD.” Chairman PPP challenged the KP and Punjab governments to show one hospital that can compare itself to NICVD and JPMC.

Chairman Bilawal also said that the health card Imran Khan is boasting off has a limit and will not even be able to cover the cost of one day at the Covid ward. PPP on the other hand, provides heart transplants for free.

Chairman PPP further said that the opposition can do politics, but no has the right to be racist. “We can take criticism if it makes sense,” said Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari adding “but now they are just playing the ethnic card.

“Sindh’s new local government law is better than the local government law of Punjab, Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa because Sindh has given more powers to local bodies than other provinces,” he said. “Neither Musharraf, nor Altaf Hussain gave anyone this power. We are empowering the elected representatives to generate their own revenue.”

Chairman PPP said MQM’s time was a time of great bloodshed. PPP brought peace to Karachi.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021

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