Local bodies likely to be dissolved by end of May

[Naveed Yaseen]

Local bodies all over the country, including Sindh, are likely to be dissolved by the end of May, as 90 days are mandatory prior to holding the local bodies elections.

Once the local bodies are dissolved, caretaker local bodies will start functioning, Sindh Local Government (LG) Minister Aga Siraj Durrani told The News on Tuesday.

“A meeting has been scheduled with our friends, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), to bring an amendment bill in the Sindh Assembly for reintroducing the old commissioner system and we have to remove the grey area in this system not only in Sindh but all over the country,” he said.

Durrani said under the said system there would be a commissioner under whom there would be deputy commissioners and sub-divisional magistrates (SDM). The commissioner would have all the land powers followed by the Revenue Department.

Deputy commissioners will have magisterial powers and the old system would be revived with some amendments, he said. “Once the coalition partners agree, we will move the bill in the assembly,” Durrani said, adding that the system was being changed all over the country because a system introduced by a dictator had to be abolished.

“The MQM has agreed with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to a large extent. Some areas, however, have to be revamped. They will agree to those too, because all four provinces are opposing this system,” he said, adding that it is not possible to retain the LG system in some urban areas of Sindh, when it is being abolished in the rest of the country.

It may be noted that the MQM had been repeatedly saying that they would strongly oppose any move to roll back the present LG system. They, however, say that they will accept some amendments which might facilitate citizens.

Under the old system Karachi was divided into six districts: South, East, West, Central, Malir and Harbour. All districts had their own magistrates who had full powers and the area police stations also fell under their command. —FM

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=176057