KWSB, KBCA notified as CDGK 'Group of Offices': Sindh government notifications termed 'illegal'

The City District Government Karachi (CDGK), terming Sindh government notifications on Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) as "illegal", has declared the two civic organisations as City Government's 'Group of Offices' (GoOs).
The Sindh government through a notification (No SO (L&C)HTP/1-8/2008) had on Thursday reconstituted the two civic organisations replacing the City Nazim with Local Government Minister Siraj Khan Durrani as chairman of KWSB and authority for the KBCA.
According to sources, the city government through two notifications on Friday appointed Ghulam Arif Khan, Managing Director of KWSB and Rauf Akhtar Farooqui, Chief Controller of KBCA, as Executive District Officers (EDOs) of the Water and Sanitation and Building Control GoOs of the CDGK, respectively.
They said that CDGK contended that under Sindh Local Government Ordinance (SLGO) 2001, which has a strong constitutional backing, the two departments were part of the city government and could not be separated from it through a couple of notifications. Sources said the Haq Parast-led CDGK also termed the Sindh government-backed notifications as "illegal", claiming that the two documentary orders were contradictory to Section (3) 182 of the SLGO-2001.
The notification (NO. Nazim/City/Secy/269/2008), issued by the City Nazim Secretariat, said: "In pursuance of Section 35, Part 'D' of the First Schedule read with Section 182, Sub-section 3 of Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2001, the Government of Sindh, Local Government Department vide notification No SO (L&C) HTP/1-8/KBCA/03, dated 30.04.2004, had already been pleased to establish an additional Group of Offices namely Building Control Group of Offices, under Executive District Officer (EDO) in the City District Government Karachi.
"Therefore, in pursuance of Section 195 and in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 182, Sub-section 3 of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance-2001, the City District Government Karachi direct the Executive District Officer, Building Control Group of Offices, to perform the functions conferred by or under SLGO-2001 and in performance of their respective function shall adhere to and follow such procedure as are enumerated in the Sixth Schedule."
Likewise, using his powers under Section 195 and Section 182, Sub-section 3 of the SLGO-2001 the city nazim through second notification (No Nazim/City/Secy/270/2008) has directed the EDO Water and Sanitation GoOs "to perform the functions conferred by or under SLGO-2001 and in performance of their respective function shall adhere to and follow such procedure as are enumerated in the Sixth Schedule."
It says: "The Government of Sindh, Local Government Department vide notification No SOVIII/KW&SB/2(41) 2002, dated 04.12.2002, had already been pleased to establish an additional Group of Offices namely Water and Sanitation Group of Offices, under Executive District Officer (EDO) in the City District Government Karachi (CDGK)."
The notifications have been sent to Chairman National Reconstruction Bureau, Sindh Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary to Governor Sindh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Sindh, District Co-ordination Officer Karachi, Director General Katchi Abadies Karachi, ACS (Dev) P&D Department Sindh, all administrative secretaries of Sindh, EDOs and town nazims.
According to sources, the new face-off on show of power between the city nazim and Sindh government is likely to give a serious setback to ongoing reconciliation process between the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on joining hands in Sindh and federal governments.
They said the Sindh government had already forwarded the two notifications to the provincial local minister, Sirag Durrani, and all other high officials of the country.
Meanwhile, Sindh Information Minister Shazia Marri said that the move was aimed at bringing improvement in the performance of the two institutions. She said appointment of Member Sindh Assembly Munawar Ali Abbasi as vice chairman of the KWSB and the city nazim as its member in place of DCO had made the Board more credible and participatory.