Muttahida upbeat as PM Shehbaz orders body on LG tweaks, missing men

Wire excerpt

KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the formation of a committee to advance consultations on a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at strengthening local governments and to address Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) longstanding concerns over its missing workers, with the party expressing rare optimism after years of little movement on these key issues. While MQM-P sees little chance for the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment in the immediate future, the party leaders believe a broad political consensus is emerging in favour of an empowered local government system, including among opposition parties. The party is also encouraged by the prime minister’s assurance that the defence and interior ministries will be engaged on the issue of missing workers, describing it as the most significant progress on the matter in years. A statement issued by the MQM-P said that the fresh progress emerged during a meeting of the party delegation with PM Shehbaz in Islamabad, where several issues ranging from the rights of urban Sindh to the proposed constitutional bill came under discussion. MQM-P delegation meets Shehbaz in Islamabad; urges him to pay grea…