KARACHI: Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon has said the purpose of Sindh People's Local Government Ordinance 2012 (SPLGO) is to provide the best and model local government system to ensure provision of basic facilities to the people.

He was addressing a joint press conference at the Chief Minister's House here on Saturday along with provincial ministers Muhammad Ayaz Soomro, Mukesh Kumar Chawla, Rafiq Engineer, Muzaffar Shijra, and Nadeem Bhutto.

Sharjeel Memon, in a statement, said some elements are raising questions about the SPLGO without going through it.

He rejected the impression that two systems are being introduced in the province. He said the PPP would take into confidence all the political parties and address their reservations. He said the PPP is also ready to talk with nationalists on the issue.

The minister said the assembly was not in session therefore the ordinance was promulgated. The ordinance, he said, will be tabled and passed by the provincial assembly within 90 days after incorporating any proposed amendments by lawmakers.

He said the government has not done anything unconstitutional, rather introduced an ordinance in line with rules in the best public interest.

The minister said the government wants provision of facilities to the people at federal, provincial as well as district levels.

He said the PPP and the MQM are two major political forces of Sindh which worked round the clock to prepare a model local government system.

The minister said the PPP-led coalition government has removed urban and rural divide. He said this new local government system will open a new era of development in under-developed rural areas.

Sharjeel Memon said metropolitan corporations will be established in Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, and Larkana. He further said the budget of district councils which was in millions of rupees will be now in billions of rupees.

He said no one can even think about division of Sindh and no one is more nationalist than the PPP when it comes to the rights of Sindh.

The PPP leader said after Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Larkana other cities will also be made model cities.

Provincial Law Minister Ayaz Soomro, Rafiq Engineer and other leaders highlighted various provisions of the ordinance. They were of the view that the promulgation of SPLGO will bring development and prosperity to the province.