Sindh

District Council goes to PPP

Body comprises areas of Malir, Keamari and Gadap

Hafeez Tunio August 25, 2016

The old status of the District Council, Karachi was again revived soon after the PPP came into power and was given legal cover under the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013. PHOTO: MOHAMMAD SAQIB/EXPRESS

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won the elections of District Council, Karachi, which comprises of 38 sub-urban union councils (UC) of Malir and West districts.

According to the results, PPP candidates Salman Abdullah Murad Baloch and Rafique Jat bagged 35 votes and became chairman and vice-chairman of the District Council. Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Jan-e-Alam Jamote and Latif Rind who were contesting the election as chairman and vice-chairman could only bag 21 votes.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, which has four votes, supported the PPP while the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and a joint alliance of locals who had won around nine seats extended their support to the Jamot family of Ibrahim Hyderi, who joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. The district council's electoral college comprises 57 votes (38 elected and 19 members on reserved seats). The election on Chohar UC is yet to be held as a seat was vacated by Jam Abdul Kareem Jokhio who was contesting the polls in two union committees and later surrendered one of his seats given the election rules.

During the election, which was held in Razzaqabad, strict security measures were taken with the deployment of police and Rangers to prevent any untoward incident.

The UCs falling in the District Council were previously attached with the then Karachi Municipal Corporation, till the District Council, Karachi came into being as separate unit of local bodies in the tenure of General Ayub Khan. The sub-urban areas of Malir, Gadap and Keamari were given the representation in this Council to resolve their own civic issues.

This Council was abolished in the tenure of General Pervez Musharraf following the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2001. The areas which came in the domain of this council were divided in various towns including Malir, Gadap and Keamari. The old status of the District Council, Karachi was again revived soon after the PPP came into power and was given legal cover under the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25^th, 2016.