Karachi Nazim Mustafa Kamal is trying hard to prevail over Sindh Local Government Minister Agha Siraj Khan Durrani, the provincial government is all set to bring the authority of provincial and city governments in a 'proper alignment' to simplify the system.
"The federal, provincial and city governments are interconnected but they are lacking a proper alignment as the role and jurisdiction of the city government were never defined during the dictatorial reign of Musharraf," Sindh Information Minister Shazia Marri told Business Recorder on Thursday.
Shazia Marri said the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), when it was in opposition, had made it clear that the so-called devolution of power could never be effective without identification of the role of local governments with regard those of the provincial ones.
"As we are moving towards democracy we want to strengthen the democratic institutions and identify and simplify their respective roles in avoiding confusion," said Marri. If persisted, she said the confusion emanating from the ill-defined role of democratic institutions would ultimately further mess up the role of institutions.
The minister responded in negative when asked if the PPP-led Sindh government and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) backed city government had a confrontation over taking the helm of two civic institutions, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB) and the Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA).
"We are not in a state of confrontation and we want to make the provincial government higher, as it is, and resolve the issues through dialogue," she said. Shazia Marri said before the local government system was introduced by General Pervez Musharraf (Retd), the civic institutions were under the control of provincial government, but later certain amendments were made to the Sindh Local Government Ordinance (SLGO), 2001. "The SLGO brought some changes but the authority still lies in provincial government," she added.
The information minister rejected the impression that the ongoing tussle between City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal and Sindh Local Government Minister Agha Siraj Khan Durrani was likely to disturb a successful reconciliation process between the PPP and the MQM. "I certainly don't think that this will affect the reconciliation process... we are working towards strengthening the institutions," Marri added.
Referring to the exchange of power-curtailing notifications between the Sindh government and the city nazim, she said her government was acting as per rules and the move had a backing of Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan.
To a query about Durrani's statement on issuance of at least 16 corruption references against those previously involved in irregularities in the affairs of the KW&SB and the KBCA, Shazia Marri said: "Accountability should be for all, and if convicted, even elected representatives would be brought to justice."
Meanwhile, while City Naib Nazim Nasrin Jalil refused outright to comment on the issue, phone of the city nazim remained unattended despite repeated attempts of this scribe. "We don't want to be involved publicly in (the process of) accusations and counter-accusations with them (Sindh government)," said Nasrin Jalil, adding: "Whatever we have to say we would directly consult Durrani."