What is Article 149? Will Karachi come under the Federal Government?
A fresh statement from Law Minister Farogh Naseem that Federation must take the administrative control of Karachi city to solve issues caused by poor administration, has spread like a wildfire causing concerns if Karachi will come under federal govt regarding federal government’s powers under Article 149.
The issue of widespread garbage in the city has triggered a rift between the provincial and federal governments. Prime Minister Imran Khan has formed a committee, headed by MQM-P’s Farogh Naseem, to suggest what steps could be taken to clean the city.
Poorly infrastructured city of Karachi experienced heavy downpours on Eid-ul-Azha. The condition of garbage-filled city exacerbated after horrible outcomes started to appear as Karachi seems to be in the grip of deadly diseases.
Article 149 of the Constitution of Pakistan sustains the steps that direct the provinces in certain scenarios. According to Article 149, directions to Provinces in certain cases are:
(1) The executive authority of every Province shall be so exercised as not to impede or prejudice the exercise of the executive authority of the Federation, and the executive authority of the Federation shall extend to the giving of such directions to a Province as may appear to the Federal Government to be necessary for that purpose.
(2) [Omitted].
(3) The executive authority of the Federation shall also extend to the issuing of directions to a Province as to the construction and maintenance of means of communication declared in the direction to be of national or strategic importance.
(4) The executive authority of the Federation shall also extend to the giving of directions to a Province as to the manner in which the executive authority thereof is to be exercised for the purpose of preventing any grave menace to the peace or tranquility or economic life of Pakistan or any part thereof.
There is a bunch of proven charges of corruption against the Sindh Government. The only sustainable way for Karachi is to handover the control of Metropolis to the Central. Ajrak Mafia has already ruined it to the extreme and left no way to restore the charm of the City of Lights.
