Sindh reverses decision on LG bill

Accepts governor's observation on election of mayors, deputy mayors

KARACHI:

Sindh government while taking a U-turn on the recently passed local government law, has withdrawn the controversial amendments and accepted Sindh governor's observations on the election of mayors, deputy mayors and show of hands in local bodies elections.

The cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah also reversed the Sindh Assembly decision to transfer property tax from local bodies to excise and taxation and decided that district municipal corporation would retain its power to collect the tax.

The cabinet meeting also discussed the functions of schools, hospitals, medical colleges and milk supply and decided that provincial government will look after the educational institutions and healthcare facilities, however, the function of milk supply will be restored to local bodies. "We have made historic decisions today giving representations to transgenders and differently-abled people in local councils. They will have representation in each council.

Besides, the union councils are being empowered, the police, schools and health facalities will now be monitored by union councils where quarterly report about their progress will be submitted," the CM told a press conference.

The CM who was flanked by his cabinet members, referred to Sindh governor's observations on amendments to local government law passed by the assembly a few days ago and accepted that the legislation was made in a haste because of election commission's pressure to make the law.

"We have accepted a few observations of the governor and revising the legislation draft. The revised bill will be presented in Sindh Assembly on Saturday.

CM said the governor has given observation on Section 18 of the law under which any unelected person shall be appointed mayor and deputy mayor of any municipal council.

"Governor sahib has proposed that mayor, deputy mayor, chairman or vice chairman of the council must be elected members of any council. I want to draw his attention towards the previous local bodies system under which the then city Karachi Nazim Naimatullah Khan, Nasir Shah of Sukkur, Kanwar Naveed Jameel of Hyderabad and all others were not councilors but they were elected as nazims," he said, adding that the beneficiaries of that system including MQM-P, Jamaat-e-Islami and other parties are now opposing it.

"After long deliberations on it, the cabinet has accepted the observation of the governor and decided that the mayors and chairmen would be councilors," he announced. The chief minister pointed out another observation of the governor about secret balloting in LG elections.

"The governor has observed that the secret balloting would create problems of horse trading," he said adding that as per Article 226 of the Constitution of Pakistan all elections under the Constitution, other than those of the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister, shall be by secret ballot.

Shah also briefed the media about Sindh governor's observation saying the removal of functions of local bodies in affairs of medical colleges and teaching/specialised hospitals, milk supply schemes, births, deaths and marriages registration, control of infectious diseases, adult education, primary education, optional functions would weaken the local government institutions which is against the spirit of constitutional provisions.

CM clarifying said the Town Municipal Committees (TMC) or towns were created on the recommendation of the opposition members, including MQM and Jamaat-e-Islami and others. "When towns have been created they are opposing them which is quite surprising for me," he said.

Through the proposed amendment Town Municipal Corporations were being introduced in only those cities where metropolitan corporation and municipal corporations work.

"It was a long-standing demand of all major political parties," he said Regarding District Councils comprising rural areas in divisional headquarters, which have been abolished from the LG System, Shah said the decision was taken keeping in view rapid urbanisation in Karachi and Hyderabad.

To a question if the federal government has sent him an invitation card through courier service for the launching ceremony of Green Line BRT that is being inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan today (Friday), The chief minister said, "Now, I'll decide whether I should attend it or not."