KARACHI, Oct 5: Sindh Minister for Local Government Agha Siraj Khan Durrani has said that the Sindh government has recommended major amendments to the Sindh Local Government Ordinance (SLGO) 2001. “It has been recommended to abolish the (local government) system or authorise DCOs to exercise magisterial powers as per the old system,” he said while talking to a delegation of the Pakistan People’s Party, Khairpur, which called on him at his residence on Sunday.

The minister said he had proposed revamping of the local government system in order to make it more effective for the masses.

“In its present form, the local government system has many flaws… it has increased, rather than addressing, the masses’ problems,” he remarked.

Mr Durrani said that in view of the bad situation of many local government institutions and their poor working, the revamping of the entire system was badly needed.

He said that complaints of corruption and misappropriation of funds against a majority of the local government institutions and the allegations were being investigated. “Nazims have moulded the system for their personal gains, perks and privileges,” he observed.

The minister said that the fate of the present system would be decided at a high level meeting to be held soon under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was committed to serving the masses in an effective manner and it would take every step in this regard, he said.

The minister noted that due to the previous government’s ineffective policies, the problems of law and order, unemployment and poverty had increased manifold.

In this regard, he pointed out that the process of providing jobs to youth on a merit basis had been started while special attention was being paid to law and order throughout the province.

He expressed confidence that the fresh recruitment process would certainly reduce poverty to some extent.

Moreover, the recently launched youth development programme would help thousands of people enhance their skills in accordance with the job market demand, he added.

Mr Durrani observed that President Asif Ali Zardari was carrying forward Benazir Bhutto’s politics of national reconciliation, which was necessary at this critical juncture.—APP