Staff Reporter
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that was the only province where local
government (LG) system was in place, whereas other three provinces have abolished it.The local
governments in Sindh have administrative, financial and operational powers but even then a perception
was being developed that the local governments in Sindh were powerless.This he said while addressing
and replying to the questions of 103-member delegation of Naval War College led by Rear Admiral
Mohammad Zubair who called on him here on Monday at CM House. He said that the local government
system of 2002 was envisaged and implemented by the federal government unilaterally because the
input of the people of Sindh was not taken as the provincial assembly were not place. "The third tier, the
local government, were made state within state and had been given powers of promotions of officers
even in the higher grades and had the revenue authority.Murad said that they [LG people] promoted
officials from Grade BPS-7 to Grade BPS-21 by creating posts on their own and at the end of the day they
started stretching hand for financial support from the provincial government because they had no
money to pay salaries.Similarly, the encroachments along nala, on open plots and other government
properties emerged during the local government system of 2002, he said and added "Therefore, the
provincial government enacted a new local government law and implemented it. "Look at our system
that it works to this day and would complete its tenure though the other provinces have abolished their
local bodies," he said.He said that the vision 2025 worked out by his government specifies
comprehensive development agenda and lays down synchronized and integrated development strategy
for inclusive and participative economic growth which provides equal opportunities to all. "The vision
provides a comprehensive road map to harness the resources by creating synergy between to the
federal and Sindh government and it will put the province on trajectory of growth, socio-economic
development and prosperity."Talking about the mission of government, Murad said, the robust
investment in development schemes for public service delivery in education, health, food security, safe
drinking water supply, sanitation and resilient infrastructure for energy production, road network and
water resources management for socio-economic development and poverty
reduction.