ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhary Fawad Hussain has urged the Sindh government to fully execute the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s decision on the implementation of Article 140-A  to strengthen the democratic system.

Chaudhry said in a Tweet that implementation of the Provincial Finance Award and empowerment of local government will help abolish the centralization of powers created under the 18th Amendment.

سپریم کورٹ نے آج لوکل گورنمنٹ پر اہم فیصلہ دیا ہے Provincial finance Award اور مقامی حکومتوں کے اختیارات اگر صحیح معنوں میں نافذ ہو گئے تو اٹھارویں ترمیم سے جو اختیارات کی مرکزیت پیدا ہوئ وہ ختم ہو گی اور ایک جمہوری نظام جنم لے گا ، سندہ حکومت اس فیصلے پر من و عن عمل کرے pic.twitter.com/O8QJCwM2ln

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) February 1, 2022

The Supreme Court in its verdict today said it is the constitutional mandate of the Sindh government to empower local government bodies by devolving powers to the local government representative. The top court instructed the provincial government to transfer financial, administrative, and political powers to the local government.

It also declared sections 74 and 75 of the local government act to stand void.

Read more: Sindh govt may file review petition on SC’s verdict on LG powers: CM

On the other hand, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said the provincial government may file a review petition in the Supreme Court (SC) on its verdict in the petition filed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) pertaining to powers of the local government in the Sindh Local Government Act (SLGA), 2021.

MQM-P leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui called the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s decision on the implementation of Article 140-A as ‘the win of 98% population of the country’.

Read more: MQM approaches SHC for implementation of SC judgment on LG Act

Addressing a press conference on the apex court’s decision on the MQM-P’s petition, he said that his party supported the 18th amendment in the spirit of devolving powers from the power elites to the local common men. “We congratulate the people of urban and rural Sindh for this landmark verdict,” he said.