Calling local governance a missing tier of
democracy in Pakistan, parliamentarians and experts have called for
introducing local government system that is ‘democratically
representative’ and ensures meaningful participation of citizen. They
were discussing "Local Governments Legislation and Citizens Concerns" at
a national conference on Thursday.
The conference sought to raise public concerns about the gaps in draft
local bodies bills presented in provincial assemblies and to make them
more democratic, representative and accountable. Speaking on the
occasion, Dr. Shahzad Waseem, Advisor to Chairman PTI and Former State
Minister for Interior briefed about the draft local government bill
prepared by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.
He informed that KP bill has radical transformation as the power routes
from bottom to top in new local body’s bill. He added that village
councils are the basic building block of the system that is empowered
politically, administratively and financially. He also shared a new
dimension of ‘Nano Blocks’ which would be established in urban centres.
Dr Waseem said that women, minorities and peasants are given increased
representation in the bill. He also lamented the dysfunctional local
bodies system in capital territory which is administrated by CDA and ICT
marred by further divide between rural and urban where urban Islamabad
goes completely un-presented at local level. He informed that village
council would be made financially autonomous through allocation of
development funds and attracting investments from overseas Pakistanis by
adopt a village scheme. Dr. Farooq Sattar, Deputy Convener and
Parliamentary Leader, MQM said that in modern times, local government is
not only for municipal or civic services but to be the engine of
economic growth. He also said that the local government can play an
effective role in countering terrorism with the help of police and
neighbourhood. Daniyal Aziz, MNA Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)
and Former Chairman, National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) said that
separation of judiciary from executive at local level is a
constitutional requirement for rule of law adding that local governance
is the lynchpin of democratic local government verses colonial system.
Talking of bureaucratic involvement in current local body’s legislation,
he expressed that executive officers must not think they will regain
judicial authority by destroying the sacrifices of the lawyer’s
movement.
"Article 140 A of constitution ensures that powers once devolved cannot
be reversed, " he went on to add. Tahira Abdullah, Human Rights
Activists, said local government was not the third tier of the
government but the first tier of the government. She said that local
government would help to get rid of feudal and tribal system. She also
said that local government must work to eliminate illegal jirgas and
punchayats. She said that women must be elected through direct
elections modality, whether for reserved or general seats.