Notification for restoration of commissionerate system delayed
Sindh governor expresses his party's reservations over new system in Hyderabad.
KARACHI:
The issuance of the notification for commissionerate system’s restoration in Sindh was delayed after Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad telephoned the president to express his party’s reservations over the new system in Hyderabad, reported Express 24/7 on Sunday.
Under the new system, Sindh's five divisions – Hyderabad, Sukkhur, Mirpur Khas, Karachi and Larkana – were to be revived.
As Karachi and Hyderabad were supposed to be reverted to their previous status of divisions, Karachi will have to be divided into five districts, while Tando Allah Yar, Tando Muhammad Khan and Matiari will be merged into the Hyderabad division.
The new system will replace DCOs by commissioners in their respective divisions.
Updated from print version (below)
New law for local govt to be framed after Eid
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) claimed to have reached a consensus on a new local government system on Saturday, but said it would be announced after Eidul Azha.
The law will be tabled in the provincial assembly for approval after a thorough debate whether to introduce the commissionerate system or continue with the current local government system run by the DCOs, PPP and MQM leaders said at a joint press conference at the Chief Minister House.
The coalition partners, however, evaded answers to a host of questions on the status of local governments. Each time their attention was drawn to this anomaly, they would avoid a clear answer repeatedly saying: “We will run the affairs of province as per law. Don’t worry about this.”
An ordinance that imposed the local government system of 2001 died its natural death on Friday amid confusion that it has automatically activated a bill adopted by the Sindh Assembly in July, reviving and implementing the local government and commissionerate system of 1979.
Leaders of both the parties said that they would pass a new law soon after Eid, which according to them will be acceptable to all people living in Sindh. “We will defeat all conspiracies being hatched against Sindh,” they said.
While PPP leader Pir Mazharul Haq and MQM’s Dr Sagheer briefed the media about the status of the on-going dialogue over local government system, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Federal Minister Khurshid Ahmed Shah joined the briefing via telephone from Saudi Arabia where they have gone for Hajj.
During the press conference, MQM leader Dr Sagheer Ahmed who was accompanied by Syed Sardar Ahmed, Raza Haroon, Wasim Akhtar and Wasay Jail said “the commissionerate system is not an issue of ‘prestige’ for the MQM; we want to resolve the issue in a manner that brings peace to the province and can help end a divide between the rural and urban areas of Sindh.”
“We will not let anyone sabotage the rights of Sindh, but will continue to work together,” he said, adding that the leader of their party, Altaf Hussain, has directed them to show passion and evolve consensus for the best interests of the people of Sindh.
PPP leader Pir Mazhrul Haq also said that they would not disappoint the people of Sindh and will bring a system based on their wishes. To a question about the salient features of the upcoming system and the differences they had over it, he did not give a clear answer but claimed “there are no more differences and if there were any we will find an amicable solution.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 6th, 2011.
The issuance of the notification for commissionerate system’s restoration in Sindh was delayed after Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad telephoned the president to express his party’s reservations over the new system in Hyderabad, reported Express 24/7 on Sunday.
Under the new system, Sindh's five divisions – Hyderabad, Sukkhur, Mirpur Khas, Karachi and Larkana – were to be revived.
As Karachi and Hyderabad were supposed to be reverted to their previous status of divisions, Karachi will have to be divided into five districts, while Tando Allah Yar, Tando Muhammad Khan and Matiari will be merged into the Hyderabad division.
The new system will replace DCOs by commissioners in their respective divisions.
Updated from print version (below)
New law for local govt to be framed after Eid
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) claimed to have reached a consensus on a new local government system on Saturday, but said it would be announced after Eidul Azha.
The law will be tabled in the provincial assembly for approval after a thorough debate whether to introduce the commissionerate system or continue with the current local government system run by the DCOs, PPP and MQM leaders said at a joint press conference at the Chief Minister House.
The coalition partners, however, evaded answers to a host of questions on the status of local governments. Each time their attention was drawn to this anomaly, they would avoid a clear answer repeatedly saying: “We will run the affairs of province as per law. Don’t worry about this.”
An ordinance that imposed the local government system of 2001 died its natural death on Friday amid confusion that it has automatically activated a bill adopted by the Sindh Assembly in July, reviving and implementing the local government and commissionerate system of 1979.
Leaders of both the parties said that they would pass a new law soon after Eid, which according to them will be acceptable to all people living in Sindh. “We will defeat all conspiracies being hatched against Sindh,” they said.
While PPP leader Pir Mazharul Haq and MQM’s Dr Sagheer briefed the media about the status of the on-going dialogue over local government system, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Federal Minister Khurshid Ahmed Shah joined the briefing via telephone from Saudi Arabia where they have gone for Hajj.
During the press conference, MQM leader Dr Sagheer Ahmed who was accompanied by Syed Sardar Ahmed, Raza Haroon, Wasim Akhtar and Wasay Jail said “the commissionerate system is not an issue of ‘prestige’ for the MQM; we want to resolve the issue in a manner that brings peace to the province and can help end a divide between the rural and urban areas of Sindh.”
“We will not let anyone sabotage the rights of Sindh, but will continue to work together,” he said, adding that the leader of their party, Altaf Hussain, has directed them to show passion and evolve consensus for the best interests of the people of Sindh.
PPP leader Pir Mazhrul Haq also said that they would not disappoint the people of Sindh and will bring a system based on their wishes. To a question about the salient features of the upcoming system and the differences they had over it, he did not give a clear answer but claimed “there are no more differences and if there were any we will find an amicable solution.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 6th, 2011.