HYDERABAD, Sept 2: District Nazim Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman will not attend the district council meeting on Sept 4 to present his annual speech and future plans.

In this context the district Nazim was given an official invitation by the council to attend the session.

According to the sub-section 1 of section 43 of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance (SLGO), at the commencement of the first session of the district council after its election and on commencement of the first session of every year, the district Nazim shall speak at the district council and inform the council of his plans for the year and, as the case may be, the performance of the district government during the preceding year.

The convener of the district council, Nawab Rashid Ali Khan, told the council he had extended an invitation to the district Nazim, informing him it was the requirement of the SLGO that he should attend the session and present his first annual report about the performance of the district government.

The reply of the convener came in response to a question of Rana Mehmood Ali Khan that the district Nazim should have presented his annual report in the council.

When contacted by Dawn, the convener confirmed the district Nazim would not be attending the session.

He said initially he was informed that the district Nazim would present his annual report in the council on Sept 4 and therefore he sent an official invitation to him.

The district Nazim could not be contacted on telephone.

So far, there has been no official response from the district Nazim secretariat as to why he will not be attending the session.

The council during its session discussed the performance of the district government and various government departments, given under the control of the district government, for five consecutive days.

The debate followed the resolution tabled by the labour councillor Rana Mehmood Ali Khan, holding bureaucracy responsible for sabotaging the present devolution system.

The members expressed their dissatisfaction over the treatment being meted to them by the DCO and the district Nazim.

The session was adjourned sine die.