Turning back the clock: Sindh reverts to bureaucracy-run system
The Sindh government issued three ordinances on Saturday, restoring the local government system put in place by the administration of former President Ziaul Haq and the police system put in place by the first Viceroy of India, Lord Charles Canning.
Acting Sindh Governor Nisar Ahmed Khuhro signed the three ordinances, one which restored the commissioner system, the second that replaced the 2001 local government system with that from 1979 and restored the 1861 police system.
As a result of the changes, the unified city government of Karachi will be dismantled and replaced by five districts: Karachi East, Karachi South, Karachi West, Karachi Central and Malir. The status of Hyderabad will also revert to its pre-2001 state.
The changes to the administration of the Sindh Police will mean the end of separate investigation departments within the police.
At a press conference in Karachi on Saturday, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah laid out the changes that would be made in how the province and its subdivisions would be governed.
Shah said that all of the “city district governments” established by former President Pervez Musharraf’s administration would be restored to their previous status. This includes not just Karachi but also Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad and Dadu.
“Now there will be no district nazim and we would get rid of this town system,” he said.
The governor restored the commissioner system through an amendment to the Revenue Act of 1967, which would give commissioners powers to run “divisions” – a sub-provincial level of government that was eliminated in all but geography by the Musharraf administration.
The system of civil servants being responsible to elected local officials will be abolished in favour of a system where federal bureaucrats from the powerful district management group (DMG) will have the authority to run districts. Sub-divisional magistates will replace town/taluka/tehsil nazims.
“Now we will appoint commissioners at the division level and deputy commissioners would run the district level affairs,” said the chief minister.
In terms of the way the police is governed, aside from changes to the titles of senior officers, the most critical change will be that “there will be no separate system for investigation, which has now been merged into the operations division,” according to the chief minister.
When issuing the ordinances, acting Governor Khuhro tried to paint the scrapped system as an ‘unpopular imposition’ on the people of Sindh by a former military dictator. Khuhro also claimed that many districts in Sindh were re-divided just to dilute the vote bank of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
“There was no local elected government system in place when the local government ordinance was issued. All these decisions were made unilaterally by Musharraf just to perpetuate his rule,” he said.
Given the deep unpopularity of the district commissioner system amongst supporters of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the second largest party in the Sindh Assembly, the system has also raised significant opposition.
The MQM has already summoned an emergency sitting of its central working group, the Rabita Committee, for today (Sunday) to discuss the revival of the commissionerate system.
In an attempt to address some of the criticism, Shah said that the government planned on presenting a bill in the provincial legislature to grant legal cover to the system, which would allow the MQM an opportunity to express their dissent.
“We will present this system in Sindh Assembly. We have a majority and will welcome the criticism of any political party,” he said.
The PPP has an absolute majority in the Sindh Assembly and can pass the bill without the support of any other political party. However, Shah hinted that the government may make amendments to the ordinances.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 10th, 2011.
COMMENTS (81)
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I wonder what the real problem of this country is corupt incompetent politicians or corrupt incompetent bureaucrats?
@Anonymous: I agree entirely. Indians will not use children to blow up anyone. They will instead use women to blow up Prime Ministers no less. Yup you Indians are really superior!!
Pakistan is the land of ironies. A dictator establishes the basic democratic set up like local government and the so called elected government scraps it up to install a bureaucratic regime.
PPP who claims to be Democratic, but here they are restoring the system given by a former dictator 'Zia-ul-Haq'. What a misery, what a life?
@Blithe: We Indians anyway do not need a population which uses children to blow up others. 90% of your population believes in blowing themselves up. Keep your Pakistan to yourself.
To all who are defending blindly ( on ethnic alignment , ofcourse ) Where else in the world this system exists ?
Welcome to the stone age! The rotten system is back and the party which claims to be Peoples' is to be thanked for it :) I love my Pakistan!
@asif:
Wow MQM didnt spend money on areas inhabited by iother groups. Where did the term Katti Paharii come from. Who built that road through the mountain and which community inhabits that area. Not a fan of MQM but credit where credit is due my friend.
"Why not go and be part of India under British rule? These leaders are still in awe of the British Empire."
Why not? They certainly ran it better then anyone else Pakistan has got since Independence.
nice work PPP... commisionary system is best for kHI, the other system was full of corrupt, nontechnical and political people who worked only for their party workers..
Well we have not turned back the clock by that much. An old law is not necessarily a bad law. If a law is good and can deliver what's wrong in re-enacting it? The oldest law currently in force in England is the Distress Act 1267, part of the Statute of Marlborough Three sections of the Magna Carta, originally signed in 1215 and a landmark in the development of English law, are still extant, but they date to the reissuing of the law in 1297. Are the British fools?
GOOD JOB!!!!!! nd got rid of mqm atleast
@ asif
Musharaf/MQM era when it had control over Hyderabad district it never did any development work in rural areas. The all budget of the district was spent on those areas of Hyderabad city which votes in favour of MQM.
Hyderabad rural areas had its own Nazims from PPP, they were given required budget to spend in their UCs, if they didnt it is not MQMs fault. The roads and parks built in Hyderabad are not banned to certain ethnicities. Shake of your ethnic mindset, it will do you good
Similarly in Karachi too MQM controlled the city and spent budget on limited area and left those areas which were inhabited by other nationalities
Really? I dont recall seeing an ethnic barrier when you have to travel in roads of Karachi. Every UC gets its budget, if it doesnt spent on its people it is not MQMs fault. I seem to recall Mustufa Kamal providing water to Baba and Bhit islands near Kemari, building parks, roads in Kemari, providing water to Lyari which are far from MQM areas.
Why not go and be part of India under British rule? These leaders are still in awe of the British Empire.
Defending the party dosent mean you are defending the country!!!, huh
There is celebration in whole Sindh on this decision of PPP Govt to end dictator Mushraf's system.I do not understand when other three provinces restored commissionerate system then there was no hue and cry in Media but when it comes to Sindh,why there is problem??
PPP has got majority, they have right to make amendments constitutionally.All parties in Sindh PML(functional), PMLQ,PMLN,Religious Parties,ANP and Nationalist parties have NO problem with current decision but MQM.
This is not a matter that what kind of system is required in sindh; it is matter whether implementation of any system is based on justice and Government functionaries are committed to eradicate corruption and to ensure relief.
The Musharaf Government divided Hyderabad district into four districts for pleasure of MQM and his favorite landlords by giving each one an area to control. No one in Hala/Matiari,Tando Muhammad Khan or in Tando Allahyar wanted the break up of the historical Hyderabad district. People have become very happy on restoration of the district to its previous shape. That division had ethnic colour too. Hyderabad city is largely inhabited by Urdu speaking population but the surrounding rural areas are consisted of sindhi speaking population. and during Musharaf/MQM era when it had control over Hyderabad district it never did any development work in rural areas. The all budget of the district was spent on those areas of Hyderabad city which votes in favour of MQM. Now in this new system Hyderabad city will be changed into Muncipal Corporation which will be controlled by Urdu Speaking population and Hyderabad District Council which will consist of rural area. Both will have separate budgets. therefore no area will be developed at the cost of other area. Similarly in Karachi too MQM controlled the city and spent budget on limited area and left those areas which were inhabited by other nationalities. IT is therefore commendable that Karachi is divided into 5/6 districts with each one has own budget. The Commissioner will remain responsible for administration of whole of Karachi.
Welcome to the Past. I wish if only they could bring back rulers of 18xx's and 19xx's
Shame on you backward landlords who never want people to be progressive and stay in their hands like centuries ago like their fathers used to keep their Kissan oppressed. These ministers are the CULPRITS of bankrupt Pakistan and Sind. They are rogues and drunk people have very closed mind and no intention for the people power to grow they want to live in their little mouse holes and they think that the world for them. Name one member of the cabinet is not wealthy landlord.
This is laudable decision of PPP.People of Sindh are very happy on this decision and it was PPP's electoral promise to revive Karachi districts.They took three years to make decision but any ways it's welcome.
In rest of other three provinces of Pakistan, commissionerate system in some form has already been revived.MQM does not like this decision because it will erode its dominance over Karachi because with revival of five districts in Karachi,MQM will loose control in some districts.But with five districts,more distributed system will develop because instead of one centralized hub as city " City District Govt Karachi",there will be five districts and it'll improve swiftness in governance and development works.
@Mahd:
Mr. Know it all, please enlighten us further as to why going back almost 2 centuries is good.
Hyenas ready to tear apart the injured deer!!
The system has already been restored in the rest of the country. Only Sindh was holding back. Please remember that the system of commissioners was never changes in Islamabad, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan. The system is functioning with great success in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka besides a number of African countries. The same goes for the Police Act. The people who post here without any knowledge of background information should at least do some homework before posting half baked comments.
Headings like "Turning back the clock " or saying "bureaucracy-run system " is totally misleading misleading to a common person of Karachi who has little knowledge and have lot of volatile emotions. It is a fact that commissionaire system is time tested and proved system for administration. A good Administrator is that who tightly control the discipline of the institution what ever people say about him. Local Nazim system failed it is why so much trouble in Karachi was spread. It was Musharraf who introduce a system which was in-natural and ultimately destroyed those who were supposed to get undue benefit from it.
The problem is not the system but those who run the system.Only a democratic city government can be held accountable when things fail. Karachi is not a colony - it is a city and the people living in this city have their rights. They have the right to know what is done with the property tax they pay. Ideally that money should go in building better roads and adding new buses, vans and taxis running on subsidised cost. There should be a proper waste disposal system. Every part of Karachi should receive water and no one should have to rely on water tankers. Just as water supply is the responsibility of the city government, so is electricity and gas. The city government charge the citizens and the money given to the respective companies. The KESC can only charge the city government. The city government will determine how much it owes to the KESC. If there is violence in the city as a result of the poor performance of the KESC - the KESC will have to pay for the damages or there will be deduction in its overall bill. There will be no individual customers of the KESC - the city of Karachi is the only customer. The City government will have the right to rely on some other electricity supplier. Poor performance of KESC will reflect badly on the City government - its inability to maintain law and order. The city will have its own police force, paid for the citizens of the city. Why should people have to private guards when it is the responsibility to the city government to provide security and safety to the people of Karachi. Civil servants can resolve all the problems which the people of Karachi. One can safely assume that there is direct relationship the violence in Karachi and the decision to have civil servants run the city.
@ Blithe Please DO NOT go to India. Hope you will be in Karachi for the next round of killings. You are safe there.
Let there also be a governor-general and back to a happy united India. Those who have seen those peaceful times under the Raj would certainly prefer it to the chaos that the sham independence has brought.
No no, it is absolutely wrong, dont give the province to bureaucrats, they are already eating up the country's resources, now again. This government has increased the country's dept 88% more than the previous periods, which is about Rs. 11.3 trillions (Rs. 64,000 per Pakistani). So now? This government has no ability to formulate a administrative system on the modern footings. Allah Bless Pakistan.
They portray themselves as 'champions of democracy' but what has been done indicates the worst kind of dictatorship.
Just wondering:
was the 1979 Ordinance and Police law not Federal laws?. If yes, how can they be revived by Provincial Governor? also is there not a decision of court, that acting Governor cannot issue Ordinances?
was something similar not decided recently in respect of NAB acting Chairman by Supreme Court....I seem to re-call something similar but can stand corrected
and has the resignation of old Governor been accepted.
I think these issues will be challenged in court of law and I feel Government has a weak case.
Let justice be done......
1846 police act is too modern.I demand that we implement king Shahjahan's 1664 Police act.
1861 police act .i....s todern .I demand that.government brings back 1646 emperor shah jahan's police act. ....
chief officers in dictrict council are back where as in TMAs there were TMOs who are not good for nothing. believe me guys i work in TMA people were fed up of this kind of rule of bussiness. i hope and inshallah the commissionrate system will soon be restore in khyber pakhtunkhwa.......
The so-called leaders who have reverted back to old system of 1979 have actually borrowed from the system created by British to control the colony of India.
It is indeed sad that instead of trying to find a new system after studying systems of local governments in former British colonies like USA, CANADA, or Australia etc. All these countries have discarded the bureaucratic system of the British times.
But then to study one needs brain a very rare commodity in Pakistani ruling class.
@ ahmed
Karachi is one city, so it should be one district. It doesnt make sense to have water supply in one district, sewage in one district, it is not 5 different cities. For better management it should be all one city. In every city of the world, the Local Government controls the electricity, water, sewage, gas, even the Police. Hyderabad was a massive district, it has very different urban and rural areas. For people to go from Matiari from one end of Hyderabad district to headquarters in Hyderabad city was very difficult, so in order for better coordination and easy access Matiari and others were made into districts. You people are so consumed by MQM hate, you dont see that other districts were also divided, Nawabshah, Larkana, not only Hyderabad. As I recall PPP had no problem then with districts then, its only when they realised that with these divisions they might lose some districts did they start protesting.
This is just the British system where we had when they were ruling us, they would give us local Nazims on the one hand and on the other hand, so that they dont have too much power they would have a commissioner looking after the affairs holding all the power
This is not good but good is that the big est political party and leading government take one dissension on his own risk. it means death body is working.
@ All who is cringing at the law of 1861.
You want the bloodshed to stop or not. Whatever stop this carnage is welcome and if that require us to temporarily outsource the security from US,UK,CHINA,INDIA it's ok. At the end of the day value of human lives rests above misplaced nationalism.
A group of thugs embrace each other and put on wide smiles- rejoicing at literally pulling the city of Karachi back a decade or two. The move has heavy political implications and lets be open about it; quota system will rule the roost, the educated and able will be shunned; the less professional, and less qualified will be posted at higher posts on basis of ethnicity. Riots will increase. Hatred will persist, and MQM have a challenge to face ahead of themselves.
One Picture is worth a Thousand Words...... was this all worth just a laugh? As these gentlemen seem to be making light of the tragic and unfortunate turn of events...
What a Shame... we put our political parties before our country.
People! we are done.................
@Blithe: U'r THE commentator of the day...EXCELLENT... So would I and So would those who crossed the border after 1947.
all the elected nazim cheerleeders here can you answer this. why 5 districts of karachi merged into one under one nazim whereas hyderabad was broken into 4 districts. how come two different staderds for two urban areas. only answer i can think is to help one political party. so it is a good decision from sindh government to end this.
@Blithe: Tell all the lies about India that comes in our Urdu media and consolate ourselves. The following are fully true based on my personal experience:
I think you have never visited India particularly Mumbai. I visited my relatives in Mumbai no. of times on business trips. 15% of Mumbai population is Muslims and some of the areas like Masjid, Dharavi, Bhaikhalla etc. are dominated by muslims to such extent that even Police dare to enter in some pockets. Entire bollywood is under Muslim's control.
Don't forget Underworld Dadha Dawood Ibrahim is also from Mumbai. In fact my relatives are living quite better life than me. Do you think any Apartment Owner will have guts to deny for a Muslim? No chance. Remember we are only talking about Bal Thackarey. He don't have any voice in Mumbai and his party never won any election in Mumbai.
you will not get even unskilled labour in Mumbai for 2 dollars a day (My relatives are running garment business). Every one earns atleast 10 dollars a day. Maoists are considered as jokers, circus bafoons by Indians.
I am Pakistani by my Nationality and feel proud about my Country, Army. But feel there is no reason to hate India. My Indian relatives are definitely in far better position compared to Pakistani relatives.
Wake up man. Visit Mumbai once. None of our city including Karachi is comparable to Mumbai which gives life to 2 crore people including 25 lakhs muslims.
@Blithe: Your thoughts and mind are obsessed with India. And you see India everywhere even where it does not belong, for example in this article. This article is about taking away the local constituency's mandate in Karachi to rule itself and imposing an archaic British era system in 21st century ground realities and will have to be eventually backtracked because it is an un-natural set-up. You may want to muzzle the voices of the local people, but you would not succeed in doing that for long. Also, one aspires to go forward and not backward.
By the way, despite everything you have stated about India, India is progressing in leaps and bounds and have more safety and law and order than you could ever imagine sitting where you are. And they achieved that, and the world's respect, by creating a democracy that includes provincial and local autonomy. Unfortunately, Kashmir is a notable exception which they need to rectify in order to strengthen their own democratic credentials which is being admired all over the world.
Today's PPP is a flock of selfish and senseless time serving waderas. It has encashed the Bhuttos' dynasties.If PPP is simcere to the voters and citizens of the country, they should impose commissionerate system on KESC. But they would not do this because PPP has deep interests it it. PPP would never enjoy power in this country because of its anti-people policies. Price-hike, target killings, extortion, poverty, unemployment, unrest, non-compliance to orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, worst rigging in Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections, postponement of elections on 2 seats in Karachi, pressurizing MQM for withdrawing from one seat, and lots of misdeeds are enough for the Pakistani nations to reject PPP now and ever. I totally agree to the comments by Dr Saleem Siddiqui of South Africa, Sohaib, Akhtar Chaudhry,SG and Hatim. Shame on PPP.
So what makes these Idiots think, that it will work?? As its obvious that these muppets really have no grasp of basics of dealing with the situation of Law & Order, let alone protect its people !!!!
Gang of robbers....celebrating their success!
@Salman: It's better than a country with a Hibdituva midset, where 80 percent live below 2 dollars a day, where 1/3rd if the area us under Maoist insurgency, where self determination is denied to Kashmiris, where 700,000 troops are stationed in Kashmir alone, where a Muslim faces discrimination when even buying an apartment in Bombay, where the recent Corruption scam costed her country USD 39 billion, where the female infanticide is the worst on the world, etc., etc., etc.
I would hate to live in India!
karachi deserve this mirchi eating brain less peoples.
much better then the facist rule.
I hope the national CSS passed bureaucrats will be posted on merit (they should not just be from the province of Sindh).
The traditions of posting commissioners must also be followed, particularly the senior most officers should not be from that particular area. This is important so that favorites are not appointed and to make sure the civil servants are NOT working under favour or prejudice.
Old game started again, just look at their faces, looks like a still of villains in an indian film. This is the start of the destruction ....
It seems PPP will never learn from past mistakes. Naukar Shahi back again to control Sindh cities which were get rid after great struggle. There is no match b/w Naukar Shahi and Elected representative who had done excellent civic duties in Karachi and other urban areas of Sindh. Why Quota in Employment and Education and now Commissioner System only for Sindh and not to other provinces ?
MQM has this direct challenge from PPP and it has to been seen that this is the first step towards direct confrontation between both these parties.
In other words more problems in Karachi and other urban cities of Sindh as this will opposed and protest rallies / strike by MQM and it will cripple Sindh which PPP has failed to visualize in advance as they have only adhocism in politics and cannot think of politics of a long term.
Regards
Dr. Saleem Siddiqi
Johannesburg - South Africa
Such is collective incompetence or our governments that the system built by the British more than 150 years ago is being revived after rejected again and again.
good job. finally you got rid of this corrupt nazim system.
Its a very commendable decision on the part of authorities.Even more heartening is the nature of authority i.e. Governor Sindh.The transfer of power to provinces would hopefully usher Pakistan into a new era of prosperity.Karachi being the hub of trade and industry in Pakistan needs to be managed in a systematic way and Commisionerate system promises to provide such a way.
Amazing what Pakistan can provide of backwafd looking system. Taking Pakistan's enourmous population and urgent need of de-centrelization of the power, it is but surprizing and utmost disappoinment that the country once again a step back into the past.
Democracy is all about skolering the people at lowest possible level, both administrativelt and politicaly. The more people experince that they virtuely are taken into avccount and have their real say in how society is run and decision taken, the more they contribute to empower their democracy. Pakistan need to understand this fact as soon as possible.
The commissionerate system which once gain on restored will only empower the elites in Pakistan og the expence og ordinary people and actuely will weeken an already week nation.
Stupid move. who in their right mind restores an act made in 1861?????
Musharraf messed it up to further his interest and now its being messed up again for pollitical expediency. When will a system that benefits the people be put in place ???
What kind of democracy is this? Instead empowering the people, you're taking their power away.
The restoration of the Commisonarate system reflects the colonial mentality of the rulers, and moreso to administer the country through a politicized bureaucracy where people will have no say. it is a continuity resorted and not a break from past, where the Gora has been replaced with the feudal Lords. The country cant move forward until the feudal system is abolished, till then all solutions are empty words which does not provide an opportunity to common man to participate in politics. One must learn lesson from neighboring India where Lalu Prasad and Mayawati emerged as leaders to become the Chief Ministers of their respective States. The Commisionerate system may be beneficial if the Constitutional Guarantee of the Civil Servants are restored, and they function as an independent and impartial organ of the State, and not subservient to the whims and fancies of the politicians and only think of the welfare of State,
An unfortunate blow to democracy.
i love you khoros and chandios... past use to be so much better...
Good decision!
this is a sad day for karachi the local government system was good but the political party has only itself to blame .the in built transparency clauses were never allowed to function,eg the minutes of town meetings the accounts were all kept closed despite the law allowing access, the towns and union councils had become extensions of party offices,union councils had become fiefdoms of the small nazim, .development was done in certain areas
.The interaction with the citizens at all levels was possible under this system .however instead it. became a tool for institutionalized corruption and for the parties to employ their people in the various utilities who most of the time moonlighted doing other work and the taxpayer paid for it .
Many laws were passed by the city council eg the commercilization of road policy which has played havoc with the city However .the citizens should not be too happy we now have to be more vigilant.there is no one looking after our interest as before .We have to keep a watchful eye on the DC's who should know the owners are more aware than before.
Great picture put up by tribune, and well and truly a picture is worth thousands of words, if i am not mistaken more than 100 people have been killed in Sindh, Karachi, with in two days and PPP ministers are laughing for commissionerate system. A sad face of Pakistan politics.
An imposed obsolete commissionary bureaucratic system for Karachi by PPP to have a grip on Karachi .
All over the world the local administration is manned by the Locals , in Karachi decions are made by Qaim Ali Shah , Zulfiqar Mirza and Sharjeel Memon who are not even the elected representatives of Karachi .
MQM is right to oppose this 18th century "enforced rule-to-pocket the loot -and get-out " tctics in the place of a Local body system .
How these outsiders of Karachi can impose a failed governing system ,opposed by the real represantitives of Karachi ?
A nation where provinces demand provincial autonomy but deny local autonomy to local bodies. A nation where political parties demand democratic elections but never hold one within their own parties and have the tradition of headed by their "Chairman for life." A nation which always have a begging bowl in their hands yet a miniscule minority pays their income tax. A nation which want right of self-determination for the Kashmiris but will not give one to the Balochis. A nation that could have become a modern and progressive, and a beacon of enlightenment following the principles of "Unity, Faith, & Discipline," but is strikingly close to becoming a 'failed state.'
So with this the power goes back to the civil servants who do not represent the people of Karachi. There are too many parallel governments in Karachi, each asserting their authority. Each with overlapping responsibilities. A single city government which should responsible for the whole city. A city legislative council with elected members should exist. There should be no be boards, authorities and societies. Every utility like water, electricity, gas, roads should be under a single department which is answerable to the mayor. The mayor will have to answer to the the city legislative council. All taxes paid by the people of Karachi should go only to this single government. Its financial department. That money will be utilised for all kinds which the city needs. At the present moment people are people fines for things which have not been debated in the city's legislative council. The police will belong to the city and salaries decided by the city government or municipal government. Having commissions only means the former colonial rule back
English left but there sys still excist mughal left but there thinking still excist jageer nawaz y but i think peoples dont deseve to be free system because what they did in last local body sys party hijack the city completelly.
Police Act of 1861 ??!! What a backward country Pakistan is.
Is this a tacit acknowledgement that the political parties are the one's directly responsible for the violence/assassinations - and if so - does this mean you have just rewarded the people who are responsible for the death and destruction? If not --- then perhaps an article with greater depth explaining precisely how this actions eliminates the death and violence is in order.
This is feudalism imposed on cites.
Please leave our country alone and do not undo the good that others had done... just because you dont like them! Dont kill our country for the sake of your own personal gain and politics!
whatever the system, the pl working in it must be sincere to the country, only then the system can work efficiently