KARACHI - Though the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2001 lapsed two days ago on Friday, confusion still persists as to what system of government at local level exists now in the province because the government has not initiated implementation on the Sindh Local Government Act 1979 of commissionerate system too. It is not just the people, the bureaucracy too doesnt know which administrative system is in place as contradictory reports kept airing all the day about the revival of commissionerate system, but no one from Sindh government officially announced the restoration of old administrative system. Sindh Local government Minister Agha Siraj Durrani and Sindh Law Secretary Ghulam Nabi Shah on Saturday told the media that commissionerate system under 1979 Act has been revived automatically after Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2001 expired on November 4. But, till the filing of this report, no notification was issued for posting of commissioners and deputy commissioners to replace the existing DCOs and other officials. However, consultation were under way till late Saturday night to bring a temporary administrative system on the patter of Punjab, where Commissioners are working at division level, while DCOs are working at district level, but no one from government side was willing to tell the details. The leaders of both the ruling coalition parties PPP and MQM are avoiding to clarify the situation. However, the two sides did announce to introduce a new local body system soon after Eidul Azha through legislation in the provincial assembly. Earlier in the day, the PPP and MQM leaders while addressing a joint press conference Saturday at CM House, without elaborating the point, congratulated each others leadership over the successful talks between the two partners on the issue. PPP Parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly and senior minister for education Pir Mazharul Haq and MQM coordination committee member Dr Sagheer Ahmed, who is minister for health, offered ambiguous answers to the queries put forth by the media persons. When asked about what system of local government was in place after lapse of Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2001, Pir Mazhar evaded the question by replying that government functions were being carried out as per law and the constitution and that all decisions would be made in accordance with the law in this regard. He said his party thanks MQM and its chief Altaf Hussain for siding with the PPP at a difficult time, hoping that this unity and alliance would continue in future as well in the interest of the province. Dr Sagheer said his partys approach was not egoistic one on this issue and MQM has not attached any preconditions. He said that MQM would not take any step which could destabilise the country and the anti-democracy elements would not be allowed to take political mileage on the issue, adding that both the sides would resolve the matter after consulting legal experts after Eid. Sindh Chief Minister, who is in Saudi Arabia for performing Haj, joined the press conference on telephone. He thanked the MQM and congratulated the two parties for reaching on consensus, but he also did not revealed any details of this consensus, nor did he shed any light on the question of existing system in the presence of the apparent vacuum. He said the commissioner system was not as big an issue as portrayed by the media. Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah, who was also accompanying Sindh CM on Haj, thanked the MQM chief Altaf Hussain, hoping that successful talks and consensus evolved between two parties would help end the of hatred. The PPP leaders also held a meeting with the representatives of other allies including PML-F, PML-Q and ANP to elicit their views and reach a compromise. Pir Mazhar and other PPP leaders took the allies into confidence about the proposals being discussed with MQM, sources said. Imtiaz Ahmed Shaik of PML-F and Haleem Adil Shaik of PML-Q after meeting told the media that PPP leaders informed that Musharraf era LG system would not be revived. It may be noted that under 18th amendment of the constitution, the governor of the province has no power to re-promulgate the same ordinance again. The constitutional bar has forced the ruling allies to discuss the other alternatives. On the other hand, nationalist parties leaders under the banner of Sindh Save Committee threatened to observe Black Day today (Sunday) in the province, if Sindh government revived the Local Government Ordinance 2001. Jalal Mehmood Shah along with other nationalist leaders, while addressing the press conference at Haider Manzil Saturday evening, said that present government has broken all records of bad governance in the province.