KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party-led Sindh government is finalising new amendments to the Sindh Local Government Act (SLGA) 2013 to empower the LG system in a manner that upcoming elected representatives, including mayors and district chairmen, could effectively deal with civic issues.

“A draft regarding amendments to the local government law is being prepared. A bill [in this regard] will be introduced in the Sindh Assembly, if it’s in session; otherwise, [the amendments] will be carried out in an ordinance,” Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon told a press conference on Thursday.

He said that the PPP wanted to take all political parties on board on the issue of the local government law. “There is always a room for improvement in all the laws,” he added.

The minister’s remarks came following reports of a deadlock between the PPP and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan over the issue. A few days ago, both parties had met at Governor House and discussed plans to make empowered the existing local government system in the light of Supreme Court’s Feb 1 verdict. However, the two sides had a disagreement and the talks ended in a deadlock.

Says ordinance likely if PA not in session; opposition not ready to accept changes without its consent

Earlier this week, Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab, who is also the spokesperson for the provincial government, hinted at delegating more powers to next city mayor by making him chairman of the water and solid waste management boards as well as the Karachi Development Authority.

A PPP delegation is also expected to visit MQM-P’s temporary headquarters in Bahadurabad in a day or two to finalise the amendments after which, as the information minister suggested, Governor Kamran Tessori would promulgate an ordinance to make agreed amendments part of the SLGA 2013.

While the PPP claimed to take other parties on board, opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Haleem Adil Sheikh, who is the leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly, said that the provincial government had not sought any suggestions from his party on the planned amendments to the local government law.

He said that a select committee, which was supposed to finalise amendments to the LG law within 45 days, had met only once in the last eight months.

Mr Sheikh said that the provincial government was once again attempting to enforce a “black law” through an ordinance, but “we will not accept any law without consultation and in contrast with the Supreme Court’s verdict”.

In a late night media briefing, senior MQM-P leader Khawaja Izharul Hasan said that his party was holding talks with the PPP on a draft LG system to make it empowered and uniform from Karachi to Kashmore.

Increase in milk prices

At the press conference, Minister Memon said that Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had taken strict notice of increase in the price of fresh milk in Karachi and directed the city commissioner to take strict action against profiteers.

“The Karachi administration has intensified operations against profiteers and registered 219 cases against them, besides arresting 17 profiteers and sealing 35 milk shops in the city,” he said, adding that the city administration was active and had also imposed a fine of Rs1,235,000 on the profiteers.

Citizenship to Afghan refugees

In reply to a question regarding awarding Pakistani citizenship to Afghan refugees in the country, the information minister said that the provincial government’s stand on the matter was clear that illegal immigrants should go back to their country.

“If any person is living illegally here, he should be sent back to his country,” he made it clear.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2022