KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet on Monday approved the formation of the Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) which it had agreed with the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) following the controversial LG Amendment laws.
The decision was made during a meeting of the cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. Now the mayor, as well as representatives from townships, and union councils would be a part of the PFC while the city administration would have its due share in motor vehicle tax.
Following the approval of the Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2021 by the provincial assembly in November last year, the Jamaat-i-Islami had held a month-long sit-in in January that ended only after the Sindh government agreed to further amend the law. The PSP had held a separate week-long protest earlier this month that ended with the Sindh government and the party signing a 10-point accord.
The agreement had said the Sindh government agreed to activate the Provincial Finance Commission in its true letter and spirit with composition of its members and further to create (Divisible Pool) for the smooth running of the affairs of Local Government.
The cabinet also decided that the mayor would be a member of the governing bodies of Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Malir Development Authority (MDA) and Lyari Development Authority (LDA). In this way, the relevant mayors will become members of Sehwan Development Authority and Larkana Development Authority.
It also allowed the Karachi mayor to become the chairman of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board. The cabinet instructed all district headquarters and taluka headquarters to form town committees.
The Sindh cabinet decided to establish a university or a university sub-campus in every district of the province. It also approved the setting up of the Karachi Metropolitan University (KMU).
The provincial government had decided to establish the varsity with Karachi Medical & Dental College as its affiliated college and the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital as a teaching hospital last month.
