MQM-P presents demands to support constitutional amendments

ISLAMABAD: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) presented its demands before Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif to support the constitutional amendments, ARY News reported citing sources.

In a meeting with the prime minister, the MQM-P’s high-level delegation sought empowered local bodies across the country in favour of supporting the government’s constitutional amendments, the sources added.

“The MQM-P asked the government to also amend Article 140-A of the Constitution that pertains to local bodies,” the sources added.

The MQM-P presented a draft proposal to the prime minister and demanded that the same should also be made part of the government’s constitutional amendments.

The sources added that a delegation of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, will visit the MQM-O headquarters in Bahadurabad to discuss the proposed constitutional amendments.

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Earlier last month, PM Shehbaz Sharif assured the MQM-P of early discussions with the parliamentary parties on the constitutional amendments suggested by the party

A delegation of the MQM-P led by Chairman Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui called on PM Shehbaz and demanded an early presentation of its constitutional amendments aimed at ‘empowering’ local bodies across the country, the sources said.

On the occasion, the prime minister said that the political parties will be taken on board before bringing the constitutional amendment in the parliament.

In the meeting, there was a discussion on the implementation of the federal projects in Sindh and the provision of funds to the lawmakers to carry out development works in their constituencies.

The sources said that the MQM-P delegation raised the issue of Independent Power Procedures (IPPs) agreements and emphasised on formulating policies to overcome the economic crisis.

The MQM-P also demanded that Karachi be exempted from the burden of additional taxes.