Court seeks Centre’s reply on pleas for local bodies’ empowerment

Sindh govt says devolution of powers to lower level ongoing process

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has asked the federal government to submit its response to the petitions filed by Jamaat-e-Islami and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan regarding the implementation of the Supreme Court's decision on empowerment of local bodies.

The SHC also directed MQM-Pakistan's counsel to submit a reply to the Sindh government's reply. In a written reply submitted before a two-member SHC bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro, the Sindh government stated that the process of devolution of powers to the lower level has been ongoing.

Justice Kalhoro asked why a response was not submitted by the federal government. Jamaat-e-Islami's counsel Salahuddin Ahmed stated that the issue of transfer of powers to the grassroots level was with the provincial government. "There is no federal intervention in this," he stated.

MQM's counsel Tariq Mansoor Advocate submitted that a deadlock still persisted in the Select Committee. The provincial government has submitted the answer that it submitted earlier. The matter requires to be dealt with urgently.

"In every case you say that I have an emergency," the court told the MQM counsel before directing him to submit a reply to whatever reply the provincial government has submitted. "The court has put the Attorney General on notice. You should also submit a written reply."

The court adjourned the hearing till January 24. The court has clubbed the petitions relating to local bodies empowerment.

At the last hearing, the MQM counsel had stated that his client had approached the SHC regarding implementation of the Supreme Court decision. The Sindh government cannot work on development projects before the municipal elections.

"Numerous development projects are in progress in Karachi. Work on development projects should be stopped until the local bodies' elections are held. It is a very important issue. The Supreme Court has also ordered to hold the LB elections immediately," he stated.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2023.