Sindh Scraps Municipal Caretaker System

Sindh has scrapped the municipal caretaker system, ending the practice under which bureaucrats took over city and town councils when the term of elected local representatives expired. Under the amended Sindh Local Government Act, outgoing mayors and chairmen will now continue as administrators until their newly elected successors assume office. The provincial government formally informed all stakeholders across the province about the change on Wednesday.

The change follows the passage of the Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2026 in the provincial assembly, which the government notified in the official gazette last month after the governor assented to it. The law is therefore already in force, and Wednesday’s letters put every mayor, municipal commissioner, town chairman, district council and union committee on notice that the old caretaker route no longer applies.

Municipal caretaker system: what the amended law says

The amended law states that the government shall, 120 days before the expiry of a council’s term, immediately send a request to the Election Commission for holding fresh elections within 120 days. It adds a proviso: on expiry of the council’s term, the outgoing mayor or chairman, as the case may be, shall continue to exercise the powers and perform the functions of the council as administrator until the newly elected mayor or chairman assumes office.

Previously, caretaker setups, mostly headed by bureaucrats as administrators, took over metropolitan corporations, district committees, towns and other bodies after the four-year term of elected representatives expired. Those caretakers stayed in office until the Election Commission held local government elections, and they handed over only after the elected officials took the oath. That gap, between an expired term and a fresh election, was the whole reason caretakers existed. The new law removes the gap by keeping the outgoing elected head in place.

On September 13, the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party used its majority in the Sindh Assembly to pass the amended bill amid opposition protest, allowing outgoing mayors and chairmen to continue even after their terms expire. Sindh Governor Syed Muhammad Nehal Hashmi signed the bill on September 28, and it was published in the gazette on October 9. On Wednesday, the government sent letters to mayors, municipal commissioners of Karachi and all other divisions of Sindh, chairmen of towns, district councils and union committees and union councils and other officials across the province.

What else changes for local councils

An official who briefed reporters on the key features said the amended law also allowed deputy mayors or vice chairmen to act as conveners of their respective councils, preside over their meetings and perform such functions as may be assigned by the mayor or chairman. That keeps council meetings running during the transition period, instead of leaving them without a chair.

The law also requires all union committees, town committees and municipal committees to set up a three-member reconciliation forum within 90 days of the law coming into force. Headed by a convener, the forum will help resolve disputes among citizens through mutual consent and provide a local platform for amicable settlements. For residents, that is a practical change: small neighbourhood disputes will have a local forum before they reach a court or a police station.

Local councils must also undergo a performance inspection at least once a year, and their meetings must be held every three months. They must allocate funds in their annual budgets for the training of elected representatives and employees, and they must develop training programmes to improve decision-making and public service delivery. The official said the new provisions had expanded the administrative responsibilities of local institutions, particularly in public service delivery, civic oversight, dispute resolution and coordination with provincial departments.

Why this matters for residents

The practical effect for a resident of Karachi, Hyderabad or Sukkur is continuity. Under the old system, a city could pass from an elected mayor to a bureaucrat administrator for months, with a change in priorities and a loss of local accountability at the top. Under the new system, the person voters chose stays in charge until a successor is elected and takes office, which keeps responsibility in one place during the transition.

Feature Pakistan has tracked Sindh’s civic and governance record, including a Sindh irrigation audit worth Rs23.95 billion and a Karachi flyover traffic diversion on Nishtar Road. The Dawn report on the amended law gives the full text of the key provision and the timeline from passage to gazette.

Frequently asked questions

What is the municipal caretaker system that Sindh scrapped?

It was the system under which bureaucrats, as administrators, took over metropolitan corporations, district committees and towns after the four-year term of elected local representatives expired, until fresh elections were held.

Who runs a council now when its term expires?

The outgoing mayor or chairman continues as administrator, exercising the council’s powers and functions until the newly elected mayor or chairman assumes office.

When was the amended law passed and notified?

The Sindh Assembly passed the bill on September 13, the governor signed it on September 28, and it was published in the gazette on October 9. Stakeholders were formally informed on Wednesday.

What is the new reconciliation forum?

Every union committee, town committee and municipal committee must set up a three-member reconciliation forum within 90 days of the law coming into force, to resolve citizens’ disputes through mutual consent.

How often must councils meet and be inspected?

Council meetings must be held every three months, and local councils must undergo a performance inspection at least once a year.