LGs set to return in entire Sindh

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD:

After scathing criticism for running two different systems in Sindh, the provincial government has decided to restore the Local Governments System 2001 (LGS) in whole of the province.Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon announced Sunday night that Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah has taken the decision to extend the LGS to all parts of the province. He said a draft to this effect had been sent to Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad. Till the filing of this report, the chief minister was in a meeting at the Governor’s House and an ordinance to this affect was likely to be signed anytime. President Asif Ali Zardari also phoned Ebad and talked about the new measure. Meanwhile, President Zardari has invited senior leaders of the party to meet at Awian-e-Sadr today (Monday) to discuss the issue. Sources said that senior PPP leaders including the Sindh chief minister have expressed their support to the idea.The PPP-led government, which had reintroduced the old commissionerate system in the province last month, restored the local governments system in Karachi and Hyderabad on the instance of MQM, but kept it in rest of the Sindh. The government was facing immense pressure from the Sindh nationalists and its ally Awami National Part to adopt a uniform system. Though both these forces favoured commisionerate system, but the government under pressure from MQM decided that if it has to adopt a unitary system, it would be the LGS.The nationalists have given a strike call in Sindh today (Monday) over the issue of adoption of two different systems in the province.On the other hand, strongly reacting to reverting back to district government system in Karachi and Hyderabad, the ANP called its parliamentary party meeting today (Monday) at the Parliament House to discuss the matter.ANP Central Information Secretary Zahid Khan said that the meeting has been called by Senior Vice-President Bushra Gohar to review the changes made in the administrative setup in Sindh. He said that PPP has not taken them on board while taking the decision of withdrawal of the commissionerate system following their negotiations with the MQM on Saturday.Sources aware of the developments taking place on this front informed The Nation that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had phoned PML-Functional chief Pir Pagara Saturday night to take him into confidence regarding their new deal with the MQM to bring normalcy and peace to the port city of Karachi. Sources further said that Pir Pagara in his conversation with Gilani highlighted the significance and utility of the commissionerate system and did not approve the measure.Zahid Khan commenting on the situation questioned as to how a province could function under two separate local bodies system, adding that restoration of the district governments system in Karachi and Hyderabad was tantamount to accepting their status as a separate province. He demanded of the PPP to address the reservations of the ANP.Bushra Gohar said that the situation in Karachi was so critical and the government should have taken all the stakeholders on board while taking any decision about the city