News
Monday, August 19, 2013
Sindh okays draft of local govt laws* Draft to be presented in Sindh Assembly for approval today
* Proposals of other parties, except MQM, also incorporated in new law
Staff Report
KARACHI: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will table the bill on local government system during the Sindh Assembly session today (Monday).
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Sunday chaired a meeting of parliamentary party of the PPP to evolve a strategy for the assembly session today. Addressing the meeting, Shah said that consultation was made with all political parties for developing consensus on new local bodies system, to be introduced in the province. He said proposals of other political parties have been included in the draft of new local bodies system.
Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Syed Owais Muzaffar, Agha Siraj Durrani, Dr Sikandar Mandhro, Makhdoom Jameeluzzaman, Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Manzoor Wasan, Ali Mardan Shah and Shehla Raza attended the meeting. The PPP is all set to reinstate the Local Government System, 1979, with certain amendments.
Despite constituting a ministerial committee, the PPP government has been unable to draw a consensus among political parties over the bill.
The PPP, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Muslim League-Functional and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have reached a consensus over 80 percent draft of local government system bill.
However, few points in the bill still lack support of major political parties in Sindh.
Among those points is one about which representatives of the parties have been unable to decide whether the elections for local government system will be held on party basis or non-party basis.
Meanwhile, the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) still stands rigid on its demand of reinstating the Sindh People Local Government Act (SPLGA), 2012 – in order to achieve consensus on the bill. Talking to a private TV channel, MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari said the contents of the draft bill were in clash with the spirit of Article 140 of the constitution. “We will oppose the bill if it is presented before the assembly,” he added.
He said that under the proposed bill, local governments will not enjoy financial, political and administrative powers. The public representatives are unable to resolve issues without having the necessary powers, he said.
The Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT), which was an ally in the PML-N-led 10-party electoral alliance in Sindh, has also recommended changes in the draft of the local government bill.
According to a press release, QAT President Advocate Ayaz Palijo has said that his party believes that local problems could be solved at the local level “as the communities are diverse and have distinct issues and needs”.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk