Sindh LG system better than all other provinces: Bilawal Bhutto

KARACHI: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday defended the Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2021, saying that the new LG system will empower the local bodies politically and financially, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference here in Karachi, the PPP leader termed the newly-enacted Sindh local government law better than all other local government laws that were put in place in other provinces.

“Sindh’s new local government law is better than the local government laws of Punjab, Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he claimed, adding that Sindh has given more powers to local bodies than other provinces.

Bilawal said that under new act, property tax will be directly given to local bodies. He said that Sindh LG law would be introduced across Sindh soon.

While criticising former Karachi mayors, the PPP chief said: “Mustafa Kamal and Wasim Akhtar had done nothing for the Karachi but destroying city’s peace.”

The Sindh Assembly had passed the amendment bill for a new local government (LG) system with a majority amid the strong protest from the opposition.

Opposition parties including Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) have strongly criticised the new law.

The amended bill of the new LG system had been tabled in the Sindh Assembly by provincial LG minister Nasir Hussain Shah which was approved by the lawmakers with a majority amid the opposition’s protest.

The assembly also passed the bill for giving powers to the mayor to head Solid Waste Management Board.

It is important to mention here that Sindh Governor Imran Ismail had rejected the LG bill after raising objections.

Bus project

Speaking on transport projects, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the Sindh government has decided to launch an intercity bus project in January.

He announced this while addressing a press conference here at Bilawal House, Karachi.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the PPP-led Sindh government will launch intercity and intra-city bus projects for Karachi by the end of January 2022.

“Sindh government will fulfill its all commitments related to Red Line and Orange Line BRTs project and would also launch bus service in Karachi,” the PPP chairman maintained.

Speaking on the recently launched Green Line BRT project, Bilawal was of the view that Prime Minister Imran Khan had inaugurated an incomplete project. He also criticised PML-N over the Green Line bus service.