MQM boycott: What powers does a city mayor have?
15 Jan, 2023
The term of the local governments in Sindh ended in August 2020 and according to the lawMQM bycott, elections should be held within four months of the end of the term of the local government. It has been postponed several times
A central control room has been set up at the central secretariat of the Election Commission of Pakistan in Islamabad to monitor the local elections held today in Sindh province, which will continue to function uninterruptedly until the results of the elections are announced.
The spokesperson of the Election Commission says that any kind of interference will not be tolerated during the polling on Sunday and immediate action will be taken against the violators.
The largest and industrial city of Pakistan, Karachi, has a population of more than one and a half million living within the limits of the Metropolitan Corporation, which participates in local body elections.
Local elections in Karachi have been like a game of snakes and ladders between the provincial government and the Election Commission.
The term of the local governments in Sindh ended in August 2020 and according to the law, elections should be held within four months of the end of the term of the local government. It has been postponed several times.
The second phase of the local body elections in Sindh was to be held on July 24 last year, but due to unusual rains and floods in the province, it was postponed three times and finally the Election Commission of Pakistan announced the elections on January 15, under which Sindh Elections will be held in two major cities, Karachi and Hyderabad.
Just two days before the elections, the Sindh government postponed the elections in Karachi and Dadu, along with the withdrawal of the notification of constituencies in Karachi.
After the merger of all MQM factions in the press conference, the leadership of the organization rejected these constituencies in a press conference on Friday night and announced a boycott of the local body elections a night before the elections.
The Election Commission rejected the Sindh government's request to postpone the elections and made it clear that the elections will be held on January 15.
After which Provincial Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said in a statement that the provincial government used its constitutional and legal right and tried to convince the Election Commission but if they do not agree, then the elections will be held on January 15. .
Objection of MQM
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan approached the Sindh High Court and then the Supreme Court against the conduct of the elections on January 15, raising objections to the recent census and the constituencies based on it and taking the stand that these constituencies should be re-done.
MQM says that the formation of Union Councils and Towns in West District of Karachi is wrong and based on 'maliciousness'.
Apart from this, they also claim that the constituencies in Orangi Town, Mominabad, Baldia, North Nazimabad and Shah Faisal Colony are also 'unfair'.
He is of the view that if the constituencies and delimitations are not correct, the elections based on them will be 'unfair'.
After this objection of MQM was rejected by the court, they challenged the formation of the Election Commission, but the Sindh High Court also rejected it.
In the petition filed by MQM, the stand was taken that the Election Commission's decisions are not legal due to their incompleteness.
He said that they are boycotting these elections due to the behavior of the Election Commission. According to him, going to the polls would mean that we have accepted the constituencies.
Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, head of MQM Pakistan, said, "It seems that there is a national consensus for walling the MQM Pakistan, the migrant nation and the urban areas of Sindh and electing them into the wall, so we do not want justice." They are withdrawing from the elections in protest against the behavior and indifference of the Election Commission.
Powers of the Mayor of Karachi
In the municipal elections of General Pervez Musharraf, municipal governments were established in which health, education, police and local revenue departments, besides water board, were placed under the Mayor. These powers were withdrawn after the Pakistan People's Party came to power in Sindh.
The Mayor of Karachi is responsible for the maintenance, construction and repair of more than 106 roads in the city, including MA Jinnah Road and Sharia-e-Faisal. Is.
Abbasi Shaheed Hospital i.e. the third largest hospital of the city, about seven hospitals including dental and cardiology are also under him.
Karachi Zoo is one of the largest zoos in Pakistan. Along with this, the mayor of Karachi is also in charge of the safari park, aquarium and more than a hundred huts on the beach.
If there is any fire incident, there is a fire brigade department for it. This department also works under the supervision of the Mayor.
Whether you park a bike or a car within the boundaries of the municipality of Karachi, the mayor also imposes a charged parking fee. Apart from this, if there are illegal encroachments, they also have the responsibility to remove them.
The mayor is responsible for both the drainage of your home's sewage water and the drainage of rainwater, meaning that they are responsible for the maintenance and repair of storm drains.
So what powers does the mayor not have? If there is garbage outside your house, this is the responsibility of the Sindh Solid Waste Board, which is under the government of Sindh. Similarly, if there is no tap water in your house, this department of Karachi Water Board is also under the government of Sindh.
The departments of housing, police and transport also have nothing to do with the mayor, they are also under the Sindh government.
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