An important and policy-oriented meeting of Pakistan Peoples Party Town Chairmen was held under the chairmanship of Sindh Minister for Local Government, Housing and Town Planning, Nasir Hussain Shah. The meeting began with profound grief and sorrow over the loss of precious human lives in the Gul Center tragedy, followed by prayers for the eternal peace of the deceased.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary Local Government, Director General Sindh Building Control Authority, Project Director Sindh Solid Waste Management Board, and heads of other relevant departments.
While addressing the meeting, Nasir Hussain Shah stated that the Government of Sindh is taking practical and concrete measures to empower local government institutions, and that the devolution of powers to the grassroots level is a fundamental pillar of the provincial government’s policy. He said that, on the instructions of the Chief Minister of Sindh, steps are being taken to introduce reforms in the local government system, ensure financial autonomy, and improve institutional capacity so that public issues can be resolved promptly at the local level.
The Provincial Minister said that he is holding meetings, without discrimination, with Town Chairmen belonging to all political parties in order to personally understand ground realities and provide real relief to the public. He clarified that an effective monitoring and follow-up system is being established within the Local Government Department for the immediate redressal of complaints raised by Town and Union Council Chairmen.
Nasir Hussain Shah said that the vision of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is to make elected local government institutions a strong source of public service, and that their performance should be reflected in tangible improvements in the daily lives of ordinary citizens. He added that the top priorities of the Government of Sindh include cleanliness, drainage, improvement of roads, and provision of civic facilities.
During the meeting, under the ongoing initiatives of the Government of Sindh, orders were issued for the cleaning of drains, construction of boundary walls, adoption of precautionary measures before the monsoon season, and the immediate deployment of machinery and additional staff for this purpose.
The Minister for Local Government directed Town and Union Council Chairmen to personally monitor development projects to ensure transparency, quality, and public trust. He informed that legislation to enhance the powers of Vice Chairmen is part of the Government of Sindh’s agenda, and work is also underway to make the property tax system more effective in order to increase the revenue of towns.
Nasir Hussain Shah announced that towns demonstrating outstanding performance will be provided additional development funds with the cooperation of the Government of Sindh and the World Bank, so as to bring sustainable improvements in urban infrastructure.
At the conclusion of the meeting, participants reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the local government system through mutual cooperation, in line with the vision of the Government of Sindh, and to accelerating the resolution of public issues.