Opposition parties in Sindh Assembly reject proposed tweaks to LG law

KARACHI: Opposition parties in the Sindh Assembly have unanimously dismissed proposed amendments to the Sindh Local Government (LG) Act, branding the draft law "unconstitutional" and a move to undermine elected local bodies. The parliamentary committee formed to examine the amended LG bill convened on Saturday at the Sindh Assembly, comprising members from both the government and opposition factions.

The meeting featured Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, Qasim Siraj Soomro, Jamil Soomro, Saleem Baloch and Sumita Afzal from the government, alongside Taha Ahmed and Iftikhar Alam from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Muhammad Farooq from Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), and Shabbir Qureshi from Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

The opposition lawmakers at the meeting rejected the amendments, while the law and parliamentary minister defended the revised bill. MQM-P’s Taha Ahmed accused the provincial government of weakening the LG system by failing to transfer powers to the people, stating it made the local government system ineffective. He demanded full powers for mayors and called on the PPP to fulfill its 2008 manifesto pledge to devolve authority.

Citing Article 140-A of the Constitution, Ahmed urged the PPP to implement this commitment. He threatened nationwide protests if the "controversial legislation" was not withdrawn, alleging that the provincial government sought to impose mayors on Ghotki, Larkana, Sukkur and Karachi. MQM-P’s Iftikhar Alam expressed concerns over appointing an administrator before elections, warning of flaws in the system if the tenure was extended beyond the election period.

He criticized the special committee meeting, calling it "a joke" and noting the lack of discussion on transferring powers to LGs. PTI’s Shabbir Qureshi rejected the government's proposals, asserting that unelected representatives should not be seated in urban councils. JI’s Muhammad Farooq reiterated the existing LG act had already stripped local bodies of power, including the mayor of Karachi, and emphasized the need for elections within 120 days.

The law and parliamentary affairs minister, Lanjar, defended the proposed mechanism for handling LG representatives' tenures, suggesting a letter to the Election Commission 120 days before elections.