Deputy mayor, municipal commissioner to jointly run city

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation issued a circular on Monday notifying that in the absence of the mayor, the deputy mayor and municipal commissioner would jointly operate its accounts.

KMC municipal commissioner Dr Badar Jamil in a circular titled “Clarification regarding financial powers of deputy mayor” stated that as per the government notification bearing number RO (LG)MIS/4(40)/2016 and dated September 6, 2016, the mayor and municipal commissioner had to jointly operate the KMC funds.

However, in the absence of the mayor, KMC, the deputy mayor shall exercise those powers and functions. In this regard, the Section 80 (2) of the Sindh Local Government Council 2013 has clearly mentioned that when the mayor by means of absence from Pakistan or for any other reason was unable to exercise their powers, the deputy mayor, shall exercise them.

Therefore, all accounts of the KMC shall be operated and maintained with the joint signatures of deputy mayor and the municipal commissioner.

Prior to the election of the mayor and the deputy mayor, the municipal commissioner had delegated powers to operate accounts of KMC to different directors associated with the KMC’s finance department.

On September 23, local government secretary Baqaullah Unnar told The News that a joint account of Karachi deputy mayor Dr Arshad Abdullah Vohra and metropolitan commissioner Badar Jamil would be opened for the financial transactions of the KMC.

All cheques for funds had to have joint signatures, and for any funds a request had to be sent to the Sindh government, he said.

Unnar said both these persons would send a joint request to him for funds, and that request would be forwarded to the chief secretary. He noted that currently, the finance department was with the chief minister.

The chief secretary would send a summary for funds Minister for Local Government Jam Khan Shoro for approval, and if the minister deemed it fit, the summary would be sent to the chief minister.

Unnar said the summary after approval by the CM would be sent back to him and he being the competent authority would sign it.

When asked if the deputy mayor asked for Rs12 billion for development projects in Karachi, he said the same procedure had to be followed.