SHC hears MQM plea on empowerment of the Sindh LG system

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday heard a petition of the MQM seeking empowerment of the local government system in Sindh, ARY News reported.

A high court bench heard the petition filed by Faisal Sabzwari, Kanwar Naveed and other leaders of the party.

The bench expressed annoyance over failure of the Secretary Local Government Sindh to submit reply on the court notice. Additional Secretary of the department appeared before the court in the case.

The court directed the government lawyer to submit reply in the next hearing at any cost. Additional Secretary local government assured the bench of submitting the government reply in the next hearing.

The bench adjourned further hearing of the case until December 20.

The MQM has submitted petition in the court for implementation of the Supreme Court order with regard to empowerment of the local bodies in Sindh.

The Sindh High Court on Friday in its written verdict over petitions filed by Jamaat-e-Islami and PTI ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to immediately release the schedule for LG polls in Karachi and Hyderabad.

“The ECP should release the schedule within the next 15 days and announce the election date by December 3. The ECP should complete all the necessary measures within 60 days”, the court ruled.

The verdict stated that Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM) has reservations about the new amendments in the LG law and the delimitation of constituencies for LG polls. The reservations of MQM are not satisfactory enough to delay the local government elections, the court ruled.