KARACHI: Waseem Akhtar, Mayor of Karachi has been ‘handcuffed’. The power of appointing of employees in all wings and departments of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) at the Basic Pay Scale (BPS) from grade 1 to 16 cadre has been withdrawn. In sheer violation Sindh Local Government Act (SLGA) 2013, Local Government Department (LGD) Sindh has amended Sindh Local Councils Employees service rules, officials of SLG revealed. Rezwan Awan, Secretary LGD Sindh vide a notification LGD)/MISC/4(74)/ 2017, May 15, 2017 in short title and commencement has enforced these rules with immediate effect. Waseem Akhtar in his reaction viewed that this act is against article 140-A of the Constitution of Pakistan, as it defines that financial and administrative powers of public elected offices at a grass root level and is not appropriate. Waseem said, “We will go to the court of law for consent in the light of the constitution’s act for local governments, as powers of transfer, posting or appointments have been vested to local bodies elected members and cannot be waived off through any administrative order”. Under fresh notification, these rules would apply to all employees of the councils excluding casual or work-charged staff and persons employed on contract or on deputation with the councils. Now onwards, the mayor would have to seek permission from LGD Sindh for appointing employees in City Council, District Council and 6 District Municipal Corporations (DMCs). In case of appointing employees on these grades or onwards, the mayor would be bound to send such requisitions to the Sindh Public Service Commission for scrutiny of the credentials and then it would be forwarded to the higher authority for final approval. “Appointments have now been transferred into the hands of Sindh government. The KMC has been asked to follow fresh service rules procedure for appointing persons on contract basis against any post and appointing work charged persons for employment in the City Council, District Council or in any of the DMCs. In addition, under fresh service notification, KMC has also been restricted to terminate any of the employees working in these civic bodies and departments without prior permission of the Sindh government. The City Council in respect of all posts as approved by the government in the schedule of establishment provided that the appointments to posts in BPS 16 and above shall be made in case of initial appointment by Sindh Public Service Commission and in case of promotion with the approval of government, the Council may authorise any officer to exercise its powers of appointing authority in respect of the posts specified, according to notification. The power of appointing disabled and minority persons has also been annexed and permission for such appointment should be sought from the government.