May 22, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 16, 1429

KARACHI, May 21: A power struggle between the Sindh local government minister and the Karachi Nazim was finally resolved on Wednesday after the latter conceded to the authority of the minister and announced that he would accept his decisions.

“He is minister for the entire province… he is our boss. Whatever he decides it would be in the interest of the city and acceptable to us,” City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal told newsmen at the end of a whirlwind visit to different city areas along with Local Government Minister Agha Siraj Durrani and Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan.

Standing close to Mr Kamal and Governor Ebad, the local government minister admitted existence of what he called some misunderstandings but maintained that they had been cleared.

“We will sit together and resolve all issues,” said Mr Durrani.

Although, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Pakistan People’s Party are sharing power in the province, their coalition has been marred by a tussle between the provincial minister and the city nazim over the administrative control of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and the Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA).

On April 24, the Sindh government appointed Mr Durrani as chairman and authority of the KWSB and KBCA, respectively, by removing Mr Kamal. In retaliation, on April 25 the city government implemented an earlier decision of the Sindh government and made the KWSB and the KBCA 15th and 16th groups of offices in the city government in pursuance of the relevant clauses of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance (SLGO) 2001.

Since then, both Mr Kamal and Mr Durrani have been issuing statements against each other and finally the Sindh Governor intervened and as a mediator managed to defuse the tension between them during a meeting held at the Governor House on Tuesday.

Answering a question regarding the issue of the KWSB and the KBCA, Mr Durrani said that although he was still the chairman and the authority of the two civic bodies, the matter would be reviewed at a later stage. “We have decided to work in coordination and it would be our utmost priority to resolve all issues in Karachi jointly,” he added.

He defended the decision to appoint an MPA from Larkana as vice-chairman of the KWSB, saying the decision was taken under the rules and it was the discretion of the Sindh chief minister to appoint anyone.

The minister appreciated the performance of the city government under Mr Kamal and said that it was his first visit to different development projects of the metropolis.

In reply to another question regarding a cut in Octroi Zila Tax grant to all district governments in the province, he said that he and the governor would raise this issue with the federal government.

The governor pointed out that coordination and a working relationship between the provincial and the district governments were important. “Now all misunderstandings have been removed and the minister and the nazim would resolve all administrative issues amicably.”

He said the notification with regard to the appointment of a new managing director of the KWSB was held in abeyance and the minister and the nazim would finalise it after holding mutual consultation.

He said that the federal and the provincial governments would continue supporting the city government. Earlier, the governor and the minister spent three hours visiting different city localities along with the nazim.