Ahead of local government polls in Sindh, political parties are seeking implementation of a Supreme Court verdict that ordered amendments to the Sindh Local Government Act of 2013. The apex court's verdict in question grants local government representatives more authority than before.
Many participating in the elections believe that if the reforms are not introduced to the Sindh Local Government Act, going ahead with LG elections will be pointless as the role of local government representatives will be as powerless as before, devoid of the authority required to make change, according to a report by Dawn.
A group of Sindh Assembly members from both the government and the opposition are in negotiations to make amendments to the existing LG law, however the process is proceeding at a rate so slow that it seems unlikely for any conclusive decision to be reached before the election takes place on June 26 and July 24.
The Supreme Court on February 1 gave a ruling about Article 140-A of the Constitution, which if implemented, could grant local government representatives greater authority.
The committee unanimously submitted a recommendation for the postponement of the elections, which they were told was entirely up to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
All political parties involved were of the opinion that going ahead with polling without implementing reforms would be akin to installing a dummy government.
The PTI had requested the Sindh High Court to delay the elections so that the LG law could be reformed in view of Article 140-A, but the high court did not entertain it. The party then approached the Supreme Court in seeking postponement of the LG polls.
Many participating in the elections believe that if the reforms are not introduced to the Sindh Local Government Act, going ahead with LG elections will be pointless as the role of local government representatives will be as powerless as before, devoid of the authority required to make change, according to a report by Dawn.
A group of Sindh Assembly members from both the government and the opposition are in negotiations to make amendments to the existing LG law, however the process is proceeding at a rate so slow that it seems unlikely for any conclusive decision to be reached before the election takes place on June 26 and July 24.
The Supreme Court on February 1 gave a ruling about Article 140-A of the Constitution, which if implemented, could grant local government representatives greater authority.
The committee unanimously submitted a recommendation for the postponement of the elections, which they were told was entirely up to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
All political parties involved were of the opinion that going ahead with polling without implementing reforms would be akin to installing a dummy government.
The PTI had requested the Sindh High Court to delay the elections so that the LG law could be reformed in view of Article 140-A, but the high court did not entertain it. The party then approached the Supreme Court in seeking postponement of the LG polls.