After abolishing the Local Government Ordinance 2000, the Sindh Local Government Department has forwarded a letter to the Karachi Municipal Corporation and the Karachi Commissioner to provide details of the illegal political appointment made by the defunct City District Government Karachi (CDGK), well-placed sources told Pakistan Today.
“The Local Government Department has instructed the KMC and the Karachi Commissioner to furnish the list of all illegal appointments made during the tenure of defunct CDGK,” Local Government Secretary Ali Ahmed Lund told Pakistan Today.
“As soon as we are provided with the details of illegal appointments, particularly the city wardens, action for their removal would be started,” he added.
In 2008, former Muttahida Qaumi Movement nazim Mustafa Kamal had appointed at least 2,560 workers of the party as city wardens and 1,000 as assistant wardens to “enforce municipal laws”. Initially, they were appointed as the community police, however after a controversy, they were renamed as city wardens. They were provided with at least 100 mobile vans and 200 wireless handsets.
Under Article 151 of the Police Order 2002, “If any person not being a member of the police wears without authorisation, the uniform of police or any dress having the appearance or bearing any of the distinctive marks of police uniform, he shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine up to one hundred thousand rupees, or with both/”
Interestingly, the defunct CDGK had at that time conveyed to provincial authorities that the city wardens were appointed with the permission of the city council, and was in line with the relevant clauses of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2001. After restoration of the old administrative structure i.e. the commissionerate system, the Sindh government has decided to undo all illegal steps taken by the defunct CDGK.
