Local Government System Sindh – Trusted & Complete Guide

This article contains all the necessary information and data about the local government System of Sindh, Pakistan.

What is a Local Government?

A Local government consists of several levels of local administering authorities. The authorities are responsible of governing and administering the local affairs, provision of services at gross root level, development plans, and community development.

What is local Government in Pakistan?

It is the lowest tier of government in Pakistan.
It is the devolution of power to local elected.
It provides services and development at the gross root.
It provides wide range of vital services to the local people Local in the defined area. Among them are well known functions. such as social care, schools, housing and planning and waste collection, but also lesser known ones such as licensing, business support, registrar services and pest control.
Its main purpose is to represent and involve citizens in determining specific local public needs and how these local needs can be met.
It became mandatory after 18th amendment to the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan.
The local government is protected by the Constitution in Articles 32 and 140-

Local governments at each level have an elected executive and an elected council. The elections create dual offices. At the lowest tier, members of the union council are elected through direct elections.

Union Council (At Rural Level):

It is the lowest tier of Local
At the Urban level it called Union
In Union Council members of the Union council are elected through direct
Each Union Council consists of 11 councilors, including the Nazim (Chariman) and Naib-Nazim (vice Chairman) of the union.
The Nazim serves as the executive head and Naib-Nazim functions as the speaker of the
One third of the seats of the union council are reserved for women
In addition, there are special seats reserved for peasants and
Both men and women residents of the union elect councilors for the general and reserved seats under a multiple constituency ward system.
Each Union Council is further divided into wards (mostly 04 wards in the Union Council), and residents of each ward elect their representatives, including a Chairman and Vice Chairman.
The main function of Union Council is to rural development, and service delivery in rural

Functions of Union Council in Local Government:

Street Road
Street Light
Cleaning an maintenance road, sewage system, drainage system and main
Anti-Mosquito Spray/Controlling infectious
Issue Birth, Death, Marriage, Divorce
Public Parks and Parking
Maintenance
Fire Brigade
Promote Local
Hold Recreational Activities, Festivals and Public

Functions of Councillor:

Councillor has functions in the range of Ward.

Street Road
Street Light
Cleaning an maintenance road, sewage system, drainage system and main
Anti-Mosquito Spray/Controlling infectious
Issue Birth, Death, Marriage, Divorce
Price
Collecting rent for government buildings, shops, malls,
Maintenance

Town Committee (Small Town):

It is located at constituted Town
Town committee works under Municipal
Municipal Committee has 03 to 04 Town
The population of Town committee is 15,000 to 50,000.

Municipal Committees (Taluka Level):

Municipal Committee is located at Taulka/Tehsil
Municipal Committees are responsible for urban planning, and provision of basic services at the Taluka or Tehsil level.
They are headed by a Chairman and Vice Chairman called Chairman of Municipal Committee and Vice Chairman of Municipal Committee respectively, along with elected members representing various Union Councils.
Municipal committee has population near about 3 million to 0.5 million

District Councils (Rural Districts):

District Councils oversee rural areas within a district and play a crucial role in rural
These councils consist of elected representatives from Union Councils within the
The District Nazim (Mayor) is the head of the District

City District Governments (Urban Districts):

In some urban districts, particularly in larger cities, a City District Government may
These governments oversee urban areas within a district and coordinate urban development and
The City District Government is headed by a District Nazim (Mayor).

Municipal Corporations (Larger Cities):

Larger cities and urban areas are governed by Municipal Corporations, which have a more extensive administrative structure.
Municipal Corporations are responsible for urban planning, development, and service delivery in major cities.
They are headed by a Mayor and Deputy Mayor, along with elected members representing different constituencies.

Metropolitan Corporations (Major Cities):

Major cities, such as Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, may have Metropolitan Corporations or similar entities responsible for urban governance, development, and services.
They are headed by a Mayor or equivalent

Difference between a Municipal Corporation and a Metropolitan Corporation in Sindh’s Local Administration

The size of the territory they control is the primary distinction between a municipal corporation and a metropolitan corporation in Sindh’s local administration. Compared to a municipal corporation, a metropolitan corporation is in charge of a broader territory.

The Karachi Metropolitan body (KMC) is the sole metropolitan body in Sindh. The KMC is in charge of running Karachi, which is the biggest metropolis in Pakistan.

In Sindh, there are five municipal corporations: Benazirabad, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, and Mirpur Khas. These municipal corporations are in charge of running the cities of Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, and other cities, respectively.

The local government set-up in Karachi is divided into three tiers:

Union Committees (UCs),
Town Municipal Committees (TMCs)
and City Council/Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).

Karachi Local Government System has:

246 Union
25 Town Municipal Committees (TMCs)
01 Metropolitan
Composition of UC is 11
Directly elected by poll are 06 members (Chairman, Vice Chairman, 04 General members)
Indirectly elected are 05 (02 Women, 01 labor, 01 Youth,01 Minority)
Composition of City Council (KMC) is 367 members (who will elect Mayor and deputy Mayor of Karachi)
Directly elected members of KMC are 246 UC Chairmans
Indirectly elected members of KMC are 121 members(81 seats are reserved for Women, 12 for Labor, 12 for Youth, 12 for Minority, 02 for Transgender and 02 for differently-abled people)

Revenue of Local Government/ Taxes imposed by Local Government:

Government
levy and taxes on Cinemas &
Registration and certification of birth, marriages, and
Licenses, sanctions, and permits granted by each tier of local
Property Tax: Transfer of immovable
Annual rental value of buildings and
Advertisement and billboards tax
Tax on animals and sale of
Parking
Fees on Slaughter
Octroi Tax: tax on commodities/products/goods imported into the municipal limits for local use, sale, or consumption purpose.

What is OZT tax? Its definition with example:

Octroi Zila Tax is referred to as OZT. It is also called Octroi Tax in general. It is a levy placed on merchandise/goods entering a region of territory or a state in the local Government System. The District Council is in charge of collecting this tax, which is used to pay for local government services or specific to Municipal Services. The OZT is a significant source of funding for local governments.

The value of the products being imported into the district is used to determine the OZT. Depending on the kind of commodities, a different tax rate applies. For instance, the tax rate on food is lower than the tax rate on luxury things.

OZT is a contentious tax. Regressive taxes, according to some, are those that disproportionately burden the poor. Others contend that the levy is required to pay for local government services.

In the Pakistan the Sindh government has included Rs. 90 billion for local bodies in the budget for the fiscal year 2022–2023. This covers both the OZT and grants-in-aid to regional councils. Additionally, the government has permitted a 15% increase in basic wage and a 5% increase for pensioners.

In Sindh, the OZT is a sophisticated tax with a lengthy history. Although it is a significant source of funding for local governments, the tax is divisive. Although the OZT’s future is unknown, it is expected to continue to play a significant role in Sindh’s local government funding system for the foreseeable future.

Population of different local bodies in Local Government:

METROPOLITAN CORPORATION:

Population above 5 million

MUNICIPAL CORPORATION:

Population between 0.3 million to 5 million

TOWN IN METROPOLITAN CORPORATION:

Population between 0.5 million to 0.75 million

TOWN IN MUNICIPAL CORPORATION:

Population between 125000 to 350000

MUNICIPAL COMMITTEES:

Population between 50000 to 0.3 million

UNION COMMITTEES IN A METROPOLITAN CORPORATION:

Population between 45000 to 75000

TOWN COMMITTEES

Population between 15000 to 50000

UNION COUNCIL:

Population between 10000 to 25000

UNION COMMITTEE IN MUNICIPAL CORPORATION:

Population between 10000 to 25000

WARD IN MUNICIPAL COMMITTEE:

Population between 4500 to 7000

WARD IN TOWN COMMITTEE:

Population between 2500 to 5000

Distribution of Local Government of Sindh

There are 7 divisions, 30 districts,150 Taluka,
There are 1170 Union Councils, 351 Union Committees, 146 Town Committees, 34 Municipal Committees, 22 District Councils, 25 Town Municipal Committees, 10 Municipal Corporations, and 1 Metropolitan Corporation in the Sindh according to Sindh Local Government Board.

What is Municipal Officer?

Municipal Officer is the Officer Incharge of the Administration of the Municipal Committee (at rural level). Municipal Officer is an executive officer who implements the development and planning of the municipal corporation (at urban level) with the advice of Councillors and mayors.

Job Description and Responsibilities of Municipal Officer:

Promotion of Public Health and Safety
Responsibility for
Removal, Collection and Disposal of Refuse
Register Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Certificates
To make measures to cope the Pandemics, infectious
Provision of Water Supply
Development and maintenance of drainage & Sewage
Development of proper Housing Schemes/Plans for the Local
Development & maintenance of Public Street
Road Repair & maintenance of Road
Provision of Street Light in the
Development of Fire-fighting and fire brigade
Development of Public Library
Management of Cattle
Enforcement of Tax and collection of Tax for the local
Enforcing Municipal Laws, Rules, Regulations, and bye-
Issuing licenses and permits for a variety of activities, such as operating a business, building a new home, or holding a public event
Coordinating with other government agencies such as the police, fire department, and health department. This is necessary to ensure that all of these agencies are working together to provide the best possible services to the residents of the municipality.

What is Town Officer?

Town Officer is the Officer Incharge of the Administration of the Town Committee (at rural level). Town Officer is an executive officer who implements the development and planning of the Town Municipal Corporation (at urban level) with the advice of Councillors and mayors.

Job Description and Responsibilities of Town Officer:

Promotion of Public Health and Safety
Responsibility for
Removal, Collection and Disposal of Refuse
Register Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Certificates
To make measures to cope the Pandemics, infectious
Provision of Water Supply
Development and maintenance of drainage & Sewage
Development of proper Housing Schemes/Plans for the Local
Development & maintenance of Public Street
Road Repair & maintenance of Road
Provision of Street Light in the
Development of Fire-fighting and fire brigade
Development of Public Library
Management of Cattle
Enforcement of Tax and collection of Tax for the local
Enforcing Municipal Laws, Rules, Regulations, and bye-laws in the
Issuing licenses and permits for a variety of activities, such as operating a business, building a new home, or holding a public event in the Town
Coordinating with other government agencies such as the police, fire department, and health department. This is necessary to ensure that all of these agencies are working together to provide the best possible services to the residents of the municipality in the Town.

Important Abbreviations- Local Government System Sindh:

UC: Union Council or Union Committee
MO : Municipal Officer
CMO : Chief Municipal Officer
CO: Chief Officer
TO: Town Officer
TMC: Town Municipal Committee
KMC: Karachi Metropolitan Corporation
ZOT: Zila Octroi Tax
MTRI: Muncipal Training & Research Institute
PFC: Provincial Finance Commission
WASA: Water And Sanitation Agency
SLGB: Sindh Local Government Board
SWEEP: Solid Waste Emergency and Efficiency Project
SSWMB: Sindh Solid Waste Management Board
KWSB: Karachi Water and Sewerage Board
KWSC:Karachi Water and Sewerage Coporation
SBCA: Sindh Building Control Authority
SPPRA: Sindh Public Procurement Regularity Authority
KDA: Karachi Development Authority
LDA: Liyari Development Authority
MDA: Malir Development Authority
SDA: Sehwan Development Authority
HDA: Hyderabad Development Authority
SCSLGA: Sindh Civil Services and Local Government Academy
SGLA: Sindh Local Government Act
PDMA: Provincial Disasterm Management authority
TCL: Telephone Communication Limited
HTP: Housing Town Planning
SCUG: Sindh Council Unified Grade
ATLC:Appellate Tribunal of Local Councillors
KWSSIP: Karachi Water and Severage Service Important
SMPA: Sindh Master Plan Authority

Sindh Local Government Act 2013:

Sindh Local Government Act 2013 which contains 9 schedules, 17 Chapters and 161
It was enforced on 26th August 2013 by the Government of
The purpose of this act was to empowers local Councils in terms of resource generation to improve their financial position and service delivery.
This act contains complete enforcement of Municipal Laws and Regulations in true
It was enforced in practice of article 140-A of Constitution of 1973 Pakistan for local

Amendments in Local Government Act:

Amendment of 2021:

The Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2021 was passed by the Sindh Assembly in
This amendment abolished the District Municipal Corporations (DMCs) in urban part of the Local Government of Sindh.
DMC were replaced with Town Municipal Corporations (TMCs).
The power of Mayor was

Amendment of 2023 :

According to the amendment of 2023 of Sindh Local Government Act 2013 the mayor or chairmen of city corporations would be head of development authorities and other civic agencies falling within their respective jurisdictions.
Similarly, local body council heads will be chairman of concerned divisional and district development authorities.
It is not necessary to be UC chairman for Mayor
A person without contesting election for UC chairman in a corporation can be elected as a mayor. But he/she has to contest election, once he is mayor, within 6 months.
Powers of Mayor All development authorities in the corporation will be supervised by him/her.