PPP demand for governor’s rule criticised

Sindhi Press Digest
February 20, 2007

By Sohail Sangi

Commenting on People’s Party Parliamentarians’ demand for dismissal of the Sindh government and imposition of governor’s rule in Sindh, daily Kawish says the demand is not in conformity with democratic values and principles.The rulers used this prescription whenever they wanted to rule this province according to their wishes. No person believing in democratic values can even imagine making such a demand. It is strange that this demand has been made by the country’s largest party which claims to be a champion of democracy.The daily refers to the situation in other provinces which it says is not different from that in Sindh and asks why a democratic party chose Sindh for governor’s rule. The paper says that the PPP will have to come up with justification for making this demand.
Daily Tameer-i-Sindh also criticises the demand and says that governor’s rule is not a substitute for a democratic set-up.The Sindhi press has taken notice of President Musharraf’s recent statement that distribution of financial resources on the basis of population is a correct decision.

Daily Kawish recalls that after taking over power the general had promised to remove inequalities and differences among the provinces. The National Reconstruction Bureau also held a series of seminars and discussions about provincial autonomy and at all these seminars and discussions, unanimous recommendation were made about provincial autonomy. Financial resources are being distributed on the basis of population for years, against the wishes of smaller provinces, which have been questioning this formula.Some studies were conducted under the sponsorship of the government which recommended inclusion of other factors, such as revenue generation and backwardness, in the formula for the National Finance Commission award.
The paper says that after recommendations made in these studies, the government had agreed in principle to devise a formula to accommodate the viewpoints of smaller provinces.But when time came for decision making, these recommendations were set aside as the Punjab refused to accept a new formula based on any other than factor except population.The papers says that people living in smaller provinces are also Pakistani citizens and they too must get their rights and due share in national resources.

Daily Tameer finds it strange that Sindh remains poor despite being rich in resources and contributing a big share to the federal pool. The paper says that other provinces are drawing 150 to 250 per cent of whatever they pay to the federal kitty but Sindh is treated differently. It pays its thirty days’ income to the federal pool but receives the equivalent of one day’s revenue.All major Sindhi papers have commented on the recently held Kotri and Karachi by-elections and have expressed reservations about the way they were held.

Daily Ibrat says that free and fair elections are among the elements of democracy but it was not so in the case of the by-elections with reports of clashes, firing and rigging. The paper says that the government, law-enforcing agencies and the election commission failed to play their due role. The paper says that general elections are expected by the end of this year. Is it possible for the government and other relevant authorities to hold free, fair and peaceful elections?The paper demands the setting up of an independent election commission and an impartial caretaker government to ensure free, fair and impartial elections.

Welcoming the recent bill on women’s rights - the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices - daily Awami Awaz says that the passage of the bill alone is not sufficient; more important is its implementation in letter and spirit. The paper says that statements are issued and claims are made for political gains.The paper recalls the amendments to the Hudood ordinance and asks if women have got their rights and protection. According to the paper, the ground situation is entirely different; women have been humiliated more during the present regime than in previous days. “We have law but no enforcement, we have administration but no peace; we have courts but no justice.”
Criticising the writing off of Rs35 billion loans, daily Koshish terms it startling and says that it proves that government claims about transparency in financial matters are not credible. It is believed that the people who were bestowed with these concessions enjoy the patronage of people in authority. The paper says that the banks and financial institutions in public sector are property of the people; hence no one has the right to waste this money by writing off loans. The paper demands publications of names and purpose for which the loans had been given.

Daily Hilal-i-Pakistan refers to the cases of Nasima Labano, Kainat Soomro and Sakina Solangi, all victims of violence. Nasima and Kainat were gang-raped while Sakina suffered acid burn injuries.The paper gives credit to the media and some NGOs for making their cases public otherwise, it says, hundreds of women are being subjected to rape, violence and other excesses, and forced to keep quiet. The paper urges the government to reach out to such women who have to keep quiet for one reason or the other.