KMC to get lost powers

JI ends 29-day sit-in after written agreement with Sindh govt

KARACHI:

Jamaat-e-Islami ending the sit-in outside the Sindh Assembly against the Sindh Local Government Act (Amendment) announced that the struggle bore fruit as Sindh government has agreed to withdraw the amended local government law.

A delegation of Sindh government led by Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah reached the sit-in at Sindh Assembly in the early hours of Friday. The delegation also included Dr Asim Hussain, Waqar Mehdi and Tariq Hassan.

JI Karachi Amir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that they have made a written agreement for the rights of Karachi and the people of Sindh and announced to end the sit-in.

He expressed hope that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Murad Ali Shah and Nasir Hussain would ensure its implementation.

He said negotiations were held between them and the government team and sit-in and struggle continued, there were some delays but the betterment of Karachi and for the best for the people of Sindh should be agreed upon on best thing and a draft has been made today. "We wanted every development including the signing of the agreement to take place in front of the people and the media," Hafiz Naeem said.

Shah congratulating the people said that they have held many meetings and a committee comprising representatives from Jamaat-e-Islami and Government of Sindh was formed. It has been decided that the provincial government will returned the powers it had taken from the local government.

Shah read the written agreement in front of the media and the participants of the sit-in.

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According to the agreement, all departments of education and health hospitals, dispensaries and schools will be handed over to Karachi Municipal Corporation and student unions will be reinstated. The Mayor of Karachi will be the chairman of Water and Sewerage Board, the city's Solid Waste Management Board.

The mayor will have an active and influential role in the administration of all institutions involved in construction and development, planning, provision of facilities, including KDA, LDA, MDA, Master Plan and Sindh Building Control Authority

As per the agreement the formation and award of the Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) will be announced within 30 days of the local body elections.

Under the PFC, the part of octroi tax will be levied under the 1999 Act. Funds will be provided to the UCs. Local bodies' elections will be announced in 90 days after the end of the term of local bodies in Sindh. The negotiating committee will continue its work on the proposals sent by Jamaat-e-Islami to the Chief Minister of Sindh which have been agreed upon and which have not been agreed upon. The Sindh government will play a vital role in reviving student unions. Immediate steps will be taken to give university status to KMDC.

Nasir Hussain Shah has said that the sit-in should end when all the issues have been resolved and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah will visit Idara-e-Noor-e-Haq.

Dr Osama Razi said that the long patience struggle and sacrifices and determination of the workers have reached a certain stage and a logical conclusion. Today, great progress has been made and this progress will prove to be a turning point in the politics of city.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 29^th, 2022.