From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: The Sindh government on Wednesday announced the formation of a committee to discuss the contentious local government laws with opposition parties in the province.
The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, who a day earlier, had said that the provincial government would accept the order of the Supreme Court to devolve powers to the local bodies under Article 140-A of the Constitution.
The committee will include the minister for local government, minister for labour, minister for parliamentary affairs, minister for irrigation and a legal adviser.
A day earlier, the SC while ruling on a petition filed by the MQM-P, declared that the Sindh government was bound to establish empowered local governments and give them financial, administrative and political authority under the Constitution.
The court also held that the provincial government could not start any new project under the local bodies system.
During the cabinet meeting today Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Shah apprised the cabinet of his talks with opposition parties regarding LG law.
He said that the committee would review the law and send a summary to CM Murad. The provincial chief executive stated that the committee’s Terms of reference (TOR) would also be notified.
The forum decided to implement 100pc of the points agreed upon by Nasir Shah with the opposition parties.
During today’s cabinet meeting, it was also decided to declare Bundle island as a protected forest area.
Furthermore, the provincial cabinet was apprised that the Matiari-Lahore 4000 MW high voltage line was 878 km long. The commercial operation of this line, which has been made under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), has also started.
Regarding the prison department, the cabinet was informed that there were 2,113 (1,355 for constable) vacancies in Grade 5 to Grade 15. The cabinet approved third party open bidding for recruitment.
