Will empowering local bodies solve Karachi’s problems?

While trying to ease the issues being faced during the local bodies’ election the ruling party in the metropolis has approved the creation of a new district in the port city. The Sindh cabinet meeting held with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in the chair approved to make Keamari Town as a new district of the city.

With the addition of a new district, the number of the administrative districts has gone up from six to seven including South, West, East, Central, Malir, Korangi and Kemari districts.

District South Karachi comprises seven sub-divisions including Saddar, Arambagh, Civil Line, Garden, Lyari, Harbour and Maripur.  District East Karachi consists of four sub-divisions including Ferozabad, Jamshed Quarters, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Gulzar-e-Hijri Scheme-33.

District Malir Karachi comprising six sub-divisions including Bin Qasim, Ibrahim Hydri, Shah Mureed, Gadap, Airport and Murad Memon village. Karachi is the largest city in Pakistan and the seventh-largest city proper in the world

Ranked as a beta global city Karachi is Pakistan’s premier industrial and financial center, with an estimated GDP of $114 billion as of 2014. Before the local government system was introduced in 2000, the city had the status of a division and it was included five districts Karachi East, Karachi West, Karachi South, Karachi Central and Malir District.

The area of the Karachi Division falls within the four boundaries of the city government which is responsible for its management.

Karachi District has a total area of 3530 sq km, it is the smallest province of Sindh in terms of area but in terms of population, it is the largest and most densely populated district not only in Sindh but in the whole of Pakistan.

Karachi has a population of more than 5,000 people per square kilometer and the population of Karachi is estimated to be around 30 million.

Local Governance

In 2001, former President Musharraf enacted a new system of Local Governance in Pakistan, in the form of the Local Government Ordinance (LGO of 2001) which allowed a stronger local government in Karachi. The mayor of Karachi was empowered to make decisions regarding city management.

In 2008, when Musharraf’s party lost the general election, the new government abolished the Local Government Ordinance and the Government of Karachi on 14 February 2010.

The term of local bodies is coming to an end in Karachi on August 28, after which administrators will be appointed in all districts of Karachi. Meanwhile, Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has been given the authority to appoint local government administrators.

Increase in DMCs and UCs

There are a total of 243 UCs in Karachi under the current local government system and their members select mayor and deputy mayor. The UCs are also likely to increase after the formation of Kemari district, while at present there are 51 UCs in the district west, 66 in the east, 61 in the central district, 45 in the district south and 20 in Malir district.

Political parties reject the new district

The decision to create a new district by bifurcating District West has irked the major political parties of the metropolis, especially Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf, and Pak Sarzameen Party, who have strongly criticized PPP for trying to divide the city into ethnic lines.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan strongly condemned the creation of the Keamari district, saying that they reject the addition of another district on political and racial grounds.

Meanwhile, The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Karachi which has emerged as the major stakeholder after the 2018 elections with 14 National Assembly and provincial assembly seats from the metropolis, turned down the decision to additional divide Karachi.

The PTI leaders warned that the decision would force citizens of Sindh on the streets against the decision. The PTI leaders said that the decision should have been taken in consultation with all stakeholders in the city.

The Pak Sarzameen Party has announced holding a protest against the bifurcation of Karachi. The party chief Mustafa Kamal said that instead of winning hearts by serving people of Karachi, the PPP always tried to take over the city by tearing it into pieces.

He said Karachi is a metropolitan city inhabited by millions from every ethnic group which cannot be divided on linguistic grounds.

The Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Hafiz Naim Ur Rehman in his opposition to the formation of the 7th district in the metropolis said it is not the solution to the problems of Karachi. He said the addition of another district will not ensure the development and prosperity of Karachi.

No metropolitan city of Pakistan is more than one district but PPP is trying to get artificial mandate by making districts in Karachi, he added.

The solution to city problems lies in empowering local bodies

In Pakistan, politicians and bureaucrats have visibly – and gradually – deprived the citizenry of their voices and their resources. Those in power and authority view local representation as a burden, however, they use it as a means to pamper and oblige their pocket constituencies.

Challenges faced by local governments in implementing the Local Government Ordinances 2013 are due to the limited operational space given to them by the federal and provincial governments.

Democracy has become the legitimate demand of all local communities, and in the world of today, there is an increase in the implementation of political and administrative reforms that are aimed at decentralization and the strengthening of local governance.

Effective local democracy is the underlying basis for a healthy and strong national democracy. The local level is where citizens first get acquainted with the political system of which they are part; it is their primary entry point for political participation and representation.

It is believed that the empowerment of local bodies provided the only solution to problems is faced by people of the city.

Suspicions have been raised that the latest development of the creation of the ‘Keamari district’ would affect the working relationship established between the federal and Sindh governments for the development of the metropolis.