• Ordinance to be promulgated to amend LG law
• Sale of acid to underage persons barred

KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet on Monday approved a summary to amend the Sindh Local Government Act (SLGA) 2013 through a gubernatorial ordinance to give more powers to elected representatives especially the next mayor of Karachi.

This was announced by provincial government’s spokesperson and Karachi Administrator Barrister Murtaza Wahab at a media briefing on the decision taken by the cabinet that met on Monday.

After the amendments, he said, the next mayor of Karachi would be the chairman of major civic bodies including the Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and Solid Waste Management Board.

He said that an ordinance would be promulgated to amend the SLGA 2013 as it was not viable to summon the session of the Sindh Assembly due to the flood situation.

At present, MPAs belonging to the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party were already engaged in relief activities in their respective constituencies and it was not possible for them to attend the session, if called, he added.

To a question regarding consultation with opposition parties on the amendments, he said that the law was improved considering all suggestions and proposals forwarded to the government in this regard. In February this year, the Supreme Court in its landmark ruling had directed the Sindh government to make the local government system empowered in accordance with Article 140-A of the Constitution.

Later, a 19-member house committee was formed to deliberate upon the amendments. However, the committee, which was supposed to finalise amendments to the LG law within 45 days, met only once and its proceedings remained inclusive.

Sources said that the ruling PPP mainly consulted the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, which is its coalition partner at the Centre, over the amendments. Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori played a significant role in ending the deadlock between the PPP and MQM-P over the long-standing issue, they added.

While Barrister Wahab said that the next mayor would be the head of KDA, KWSB and SWMB, he did not say whether the mayor would also be made responsible for the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), Lyari and Malir development authorities, mass transit authority, environmental protection body, food authority, etc, in the light of the Supreme Court’s Feb 1 verdict.

Local govt elections

To a question regarding holding of the local government elections in Karachi, the administrator said that talks with the provincial election commission were under way for the polls, which were delayed due to an extraordinary situation after unprecedented rains and flash floods in the province.

He said that the decision to conduct the local government elections would be taken soon keeping in view all realities on the ground as a large number of polling stations were required to be set up with deployment of more staff and law enforcement personnel.

The Sindh cabinet also approved the rules for sale, storage, purchase of acid.

Barrister Wahab told reporters that the rules had been designed to prevent the crime of throwing acid on people.

He said that the acid couldn’t be sold to a person under 18 years of age under the under the rules to be made part of the Poisons Act, 1919.

Also on Monday, the cabinet upgraded posts of ASI/Drill Instructor from BS-9 to BS-11; Head Constables/Wireless Operator and Prison Constable from BS-7 to BS-9.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2022