The Sindh government has restored the magistracy system across the province following the lapse of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2001 on Friday. Sindh Chief Secretary Raja Abbas issued a notification late on Friday regarding the appointment of commissioners in divisions of Sindh and deputy commissioners in the province’s districts. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has so far not come up with a statement on the development. After issuance of the notification regarding restoration of the magistracy, all old divisions and districts will be restored and Karachi will again have five districts.
Similarly, all DCOs would take charge of their districts as deputy commissioners.Official sources said there was a legal compulsion to restore the old magistracy, as the government had no other option at this stage.They insisted that the ruling political parties, especially the PPP and MQM, would continue to work on new local bodies’ system and whenever a consensus was developed, the new LG system would be enforced in the province through legislation in the Sindh Assembly. Earlier, a meeting between the PPP and MQM ended without any result and decided to again meet today (Saturday) at the CM house for further discussion. Sindh Acting Governor Nisar Ahmed Khuhro had issued the ordinance on July 9 regarding restoration of local bodies’ system 1979. On July 13, the Sindh Assembly with majority passed these ordinance and converted in to acts. After reconciliation with the MQM, the PPP-led Sindh government issued local bodies system’s ordinance on August 6. According to that ordinance, Karachi and Hyderabad were to fall under the SLGO 2001, while the rest of Sindh was to fall under magistracy. The development had led to massive protests in the province and the government subsequently withdrew the dual system on August 7, within 24 hours. Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad later restored the SLGO 2001 through an ordinance on August 7. This ordinance was valid for 90 days, the limit of which expires today, (Saturday November 5). If another arrangement is not made, the act of Sindh Assembly will automatically come in to force, according to which the old condition of Karachi and Hyderabad and commissioner-ate system would restored. The nazim system would be abolished. During the meeting, MQM insisted that a session of Sindh Assembly should be called immediately to get another act on local bodies system passed. But source said the PPP maintained that it was not possible to call a session of Sindh Assembly in a day and pass a new act regarding the local bodies system. The press secretary to the Sindh governor said the ordinance was issued on August 7 and its validity would collapse tonight after 12 midnight.