Sindh governor signs local govt law

Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Friday signed the summary of the new law on local government institutions.
The new law, which had been named “People’s Metropolitan Corporation Ordinance 2012”, was signed after days of intense deliberations between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the two major parties in Sindh’s ruling coalition.
Sources said the draft law envisaged that five cities in the province – Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana and Mirpurkhas – would have metropolitan corporations to be headed by mayors. The other districts would have district councils.
Earlier on Thursday, the PPP and the MQM, had finalised the draft law on local government institutions, told provincial information minister Sharjeel Memon, who was privy to the discussions at the Chief Minister’s House.
Sources said it appeared that members of the two parties were under instructions to end their deliberations only after an understanding had been achieved.
The breakthrough came when Governor Ibad and Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah joined the deliberations, the sources said.
They said that PPP’s Pir Mazharul Haq had held discussions on the subject with members of the Pakistan Muslim League – Functional (PML-F), Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid, (PML-Q), Awami National Party (ANP) and that their views had been incorporated into the draft of the law.
Shahi Syed concerned over LG revival: Awami National Party (ANP) leader Shahi Syed expressed his reservations over revival of local bodies system in Sindh.
Syed said it was beyond understanding that the government revived the local bodies system when the three provinces had rejected it.
He also said that the PPP-MQM decision was against different communities living in the Sindh province.
Earlier, Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan promulgated “Sindh Peoples Local Government Ordinance 2012” after the two allies reached consensus on the new local body system. Under the new system, Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mir Pur Khas and Larkana are given status of divisions. Mayors would head the metropolitan corporations of all five divisions.
Karachi’s 18 towns have been restored. The system has also removed the urban-rural divide. The two parties have also incorporated roles of both the commissioners and administrators.
Nationalists announces wheel-jam against LG ordinance: Sindh’s nationalist parties will observe a strike on September 13 against the promulgation of new Local Body Ordinance in the province, Sindh United Party (SUP) chief Jalal Shah announced on Friday.
He said the nationalist parties would besiege the Sindh Chief Minister House against the ordinance on the same day. Earlier, Awami National Party’s provincial minister, Amir Nawab Khan, tendered his resignation against the new LB system.
“ANP has reservations as we were not consulted over promulgation of new local body law. The PPP did not take us into confidence,” He said.
“I resigned on the directives of the party leadership,” he said, adding the resignation has been sent to the chief minister.