The provincial government has extended the Sindh Local Government Ordinance (SLGO) 1979 by six months when the current re-adopted system expires on February 7 as the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have still been unable to decide on the future of the local government system.
Provincial chief executive Qaim Ali Shah approved the extension at a meeting held at the Chief Ministers House on Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by Sindh Local Government Minister Agha Siraj Durrani, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ayaz Soomro, Chief Secretary Raja Muhammad Abbas, Principal Secretary to the Governor Mumtazur Rehman, Special Secretary to the Chief Minister Hafeez Abbasi, Local Government Secretary Ali Ahmed Loond, Law Secretary Ghulam Nabi Shah, Karachi Commissioner Roshan Ali Sheikh, Karachi Administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed and Special Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr Atta Muhammad Panhwar.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said currently, the SLGO 1979 is in place and it should work effectively until the Sindh Local Government Act is finalised.
After the local government minister submitted a report and a detailed discussion was held on the issue, the chief minister approved the extension.
“The district councils have already been revived. Deputy commissioners have been given charge as administrators of district councils,” Shah said.
“As per the law of 1979, deputy commissioners are controlling authority for municipal committees and union councils, while commissioners are controlling authorities of divisions,” he added.
He maintained that as per existing law, the government may appoint administrators of district councils in the province. The participants of the meeting were informed that the process of formulating the new local government system, under Local Government Act, would be discussed after the main member of the committee, Senior Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq , who is out the country, returns within a few days.
