From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: The ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Monday shown agreement to bring all Local Government (LG) institutions under the Karachi mayor.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari directed Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to approve an empowered and autonomous LG system.
The ruling political party tabled the draft LG amendment bill before the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) during the fresh round of talks. PPP agreed on granting supreme powers to the Karachi mayor for all major civic bodies to ensure empowerment and autonomy for LG institutions.
According to the new LG bill, the Karachi mayor will head the Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB) and Malir Development Authority (MDA).
The ruling political party also agreed on returning the control of the educational institutions and hospitals that came under the administration of the LG institutions to the Karachi mayor.
The control of the infectious diseases hospital, educational institutions and other relevant civic bodies to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).
According to the draft bill, Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) will be formed within a month after the first session of the LG institutions, whereas, both political parties have also finalised the new formula for the PFC Award.
Earlier in the day, it was learnt that MQM-P and PPP leaders met at the Governor House in Karachi for the sixth phase of dialogue on the local bodies.
Governor Sindh Kamran Tessori also participated in the meeting. CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah, Administrator Karachi Murtaza Wahab, Sharjeel Memon, Saeed Ghani and other PPP leaders were present in the meeting. MQM-P’s Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Farogh Naseem, Faisal Sabzwari, and Waseem Akhtar attended the talks.
