The Comisionerate system is said to have been restored once again in Sindh with the expiration of Sindh Local Government Ordinance (SLGO) 2001 on late Friday night.

Sindh's Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan re-promulgated SLGO 2001 in province on 7th August 2011, which expired after 90 days because it could not be tabled in Sindh assembly for legislative cover because of serious differences of opinion within the PPP.

The PPP and MQM had made concerted efforts to send a draft of Sindh Local Government System Ordinance 2011 to Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan for promulgation.

But the coalition partners' efforts were marred by serious differences over the interpretation of constitution in relation to Governor's power of promulgating another ordinance on the same issue after the passage of 18th constitutional amendment, sources said.

The Core-committee comprising the representatives of PPP and MQM held three meetings in this regard to find a way out to promulgate another mutually-agreed ordinance.

But their efforts remained unsuccessful.

In third meeting held at Chief Minister House on Friday, serious differences arose between PPP and MQM over the interpretation of constitution in relation to the Governor's power of repromulgating the same ordinance after the passage of 18th constitutional amendment.

According to a press release issued by Chief Minister's house, the meeting was attended, among others, by Senior Minister for Education and Literacy Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq, Minister for Local Government Agha Siraj Durrani, Minister for Law & Parliamentary Affairs Ayaz Soomro, Minister for Archives & Special Development Rafique Engineer, Minister Syed Sardar Ahmed, Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed, former District Nazim Hyderabad Kanwar Naveed Jameel, former Town Nazim Gulshan-e-Iqbal Wasy Jaleel and Wasim Akhtar MNA.

All the participants discussed the constitutional requirements of promulgation of an ordinance by Governor keeping in view the 18th Amendment.

The representatives of PPP vowed that they will consult the other coalition partners of Sindh government over the new Sindh local government system 2011.

It is pertinent to mention here that PPP, after the exit of MQM from the coalition government had replaced the Sindh Local Government Ordinance (SLGO) 2001 (as amended in 2005) with SLGO 1979; albeit with minor amendments.

The MQM's rejoining led to the amendment of the 2001 Ordinance; whereby the provisions of the 2001 Ordinance were restored with respect to Hyderabad and Karachi only.

This move was seriously opposed by people from interior Sindh.

Finally, the pre-June 2011 status quo ante was restored.

SOURCE: BUSINESS RECORDER