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Karachi

Power Heist

What’s wrong with the Sindh Government?

By Prof. Abdul Shakoor Shah | January 2022

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. – Lord Acton.

The quote befits our political system, especially the enigma of local government law amendments. In Sindh and KPK, the term of the local government expired in August 2020 and August 2019 and in Balochistan and Punjab, the term expired in January 2019 and May 2019, respectively. Yet, there is no sign of local government elections in many provinces. However, local government laws are being amended. The lack of solid waste management in Punjab, massive urban flooding in Karachi, a continuous insurgency in Balochistan and the manipulation of local government funds in AJK, as well as price hike and crime waves are the leading signs of pre-disasters for disregarding local government.

Local bodies work like emergency wards in the country. They are the backbone for post-disaster relief, early recovery services and reconstruction. Local government enables citizens to become responsible for the financial and administrative affairs of their areas. By providing opportunities of holding positions and taking responsibilities, the people feel they are an integral part of the system. It boosts their stake in the system.

Local bodies are arteries of backward and under-developed areas. Local government enables us to stop the exodus from the village to the cities that come to resolve their minor issues which can be catered to in their municipalities. The development history is manifest proof of the vitality of local government.

Ironically, local governments in Pakistan have strengthened bureaucratic strongholds and red-tapism instead of empowering the local representatives. The new Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2021, Sindh passed with a majority vote, giving entire power to the provincial government over municipal organisations that can efficiently pull back their gearshift with just a notification and without going through the burdensome procedure of legislation.

Through Section 16 of the modified bill, the Sindh government added Section 140-A to the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013, that reads: “Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the government shall have powers to amend, alter, add or remove any entries from the Schedules, by notification in the official gazette.”

The power chairs claim to authorise the municipal organisations through the new legislation while virtually the government took away the many functions mentioned in the LG law of 2013. The elected mayor of Karachi would remain at mercy in several aspects. The modified bill is silent about the claimed powers for mayor by power benches. Some critics named it centralization or provincialisation of powers rather than devolution of powers at the grassroots level.


The silver lining in the dark clouds is the refurbishment of the town system which was first pioneered in the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2001 and abolishment of district municipal corporations. The system was folded by the PPP approximately a decade before revitalising the KMC and DMCs. Currently, Karachi is divided into seven DMCs and after the amended bill these would be replaced by the town metropolitan corporation.

As per the population perimeter of 500,000 to 750,000, Karachi may get between 20 and 25 towns since its population stands at 16 million in the contentious 2017 census. The modified legislation is also hushed about it. The number of people in union councils and corporations have increased. The amended bill also takes back health-related and educational functions like the administration and running of medical colleges.

Most of the local government setup would be directly elected while the mayor and deputy mayor would be indirectly elected after the amended bill. The procedure for mayoral selection has been changed in the amended bill. Anyone can contest mayoral elections with a secret ballot rather than show of hands. Most of the provincial assembly members do favour legislation amendments for the entire system rather than for some sections of the law. The new law has also snatched several powers from the local representatives through the amended bill. Most of the local bodies’ powers have been transferred to the provincial government.

According to the new law, birth and death registration certificates have also been withdrawn from the local bodies. The Opposition and some political parties have challenged the new bill in the court as they consider it unjust. The Federal government is also opposing the bill and has hinted that it will support the Opposition in this regard. Along with several other objections to the bill, it is also claimed that the draft had been kept secret till the eleventh hour as well as the prescribed procedure was also not followed for the desired amendment.

The Opposition claims that secret balloting will tantamount to promoting horse-trading and corruption. Though power benches say that any suggestions will be welcomed yet it seems this will be no more than paying lip service to the Opposition. According to lawmakers, the amendment is in contravention to Articles 7, 8, 32 and 140A of the Constitution as the Sindh government intends to grab all the rights of the third-tier of government - the local government. The appropriation of funds of major cities is also in jeopardy.

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