The powers of development in each district should not be come under commissioners and deputy commissioners but under the elected representatives of the local government.
This was decided at a meeting of coalition government partners, PPP, MQM and PML-F, held at the Chief Minister’s House on Saturday.
At the meeting presided over by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, the committee discussed the role of commissioners, deputy commissioners and local government officers in the light of present circumstances.
After thorough discussions, the committee approved some recommendations to be submitted to the Sindh chief minister for consideration and necessary decisions.
The issue is a longstanding one in the province.
After the lapse of Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2001, the powers under commissioners and deputy commissioners are a bone of contention between the PPP and MQM.
Sources told Pakistan Today said that all partners’ in the provincial government agreed in the meeting that powers regarding development in the districts should be under the elected representatives, not commissioners or deputy commissioners.
“The legislation may be introduced in the Sindh Assembly after the formal approval of Shah,” they said.
The meeting was attended among others by Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq, Local Government Minister Agha Siraj Durrani, Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah, Law and Jails Minister Ayaz Soomro, Archives Minister Rafique Engineer, MQM ministers Sardar Ahmed, Raza Haroon and Dr Sagheer Ahmed and PML-F’s Adviser to Chief Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh.
