Village Journals
Resonate your identity with Naseeb journals. Express your opinions, share your thoughts, post your writings and connect with like minded people through the power of expression.
Resonate your identity with Naseeb journals. Express your opinions, share your thoughts, post your writings and connect with like minded people through the power of expression.
LG polls: Empowerment of people
In the past, over-centralized form of government had created a sense of alienation of the ordinary citizen from the affairs of the state. Real democracy demands participation of citizens in matters that affect them the most. And the gap between the citizen and the government could have only be bridged by decentralization and devolution of power, through the establishment of an effective system of local government as done by Musharraf Government through the National Reconstruction Bureau. With the increased allocation of resources to the local governments a community-based planning and implementation process could be adopted to ensure that the needs, preferences and priorities of the communities are fully taken care of. It appears that the role of provincial government departments would now shift in a phased manner from executing projects to coordination and monitoring.
There were, of course, voices for accountability of the Nazims before elections could be held. President General Pervez Musharraf, however, did not buy into provincial governments? justification for postponing the local government polls in view of allegations of corruption, and kept up his promise to hold elections according to the provisions of the constitution and relevant laws. Meanwhile, Acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Hamid Dogar has announced the schedule of three-phased non-party local government elections in 110 districts of the country with polling dates of August 18 and August 25 for direct elections, and September 28 for indirect elections of Nazims.
With the announcement of election schedule, all District, Tehsil, Town and Union Councils stand dissolved after completing their four-year term. Administrators have replaced Nazims who would continue performing their responsibilities including looking after the routine affairs of district, town, tehsil and UC administration till elections are held.
Acting Chief Election Commissioner has reiterated what his predecessor had said at the time of first elections under Local government Ordinance 2000 that elections to the local governments would be held on non-party basis. One would, however, be astonished to read statements by leaders of the ruling party expressing the determination to clean-sweep the local government elections. Similarly, the Opposition parties also issued statements to the effect that seat-to-seat adjustments would be made with the other Opposition parties in order to give tough time to the ruling alliance. In the last elections, despite the fact that elections were held on non-party basis, almost all political parties somehow managed to identify their candidates. Furthermore, their leaders addressed corner as well as public meetings with a view to canvassing for their candidates. Chief Election Commissioner should either ensure that all the political parties including the ruling party abide by the rules or elections should be held on party basis. At least, we will not become a laughing stock in the eyes of the world.
Decentralization of power and authority is one of the core issues in a democracy, and local government is considered a major form of decentralization. The problem, however, is that whenever our civil society had the chance to govern, our leadership betrayed the democratic principles and values. In civilized countries, local matters and issues are resolved by local or district government system, and to get their problems solved. Voters do not have to run from pillar to post ie Members of Parliament, Chief Minister, Governor, Prime Minister or President. The present system designed by NRB Chairman Lt. General Naqvi is a new experiment because in the past municipal corporations or institutions had no powers, and the tendency had been to concentrate power in authority of the State ignoring the people?s power. Prior to this system, the entire legislation about local government institutions was being done at the provincial level. Even now, efforts have been made by the provincial governments to take control of local governments.
Unfortunately, track record of the elected governments has not been commendable so far as elections of the municipal or local governments are concerned, and these governments balked at holding such elections. Field Martial Ayub Khan held BD elections, and used it as an electorate to get himself elected. Late General Ziaul Haq had also held elections to the municipal institutions. During 1985 elections, majority of members elected to the National and Provincial assemblies had the experience from local bodies, which helped them in conducting political affairs and to participate in political process. General Ziaul Haq had given quite some powers to the members of local bodies, and development funds were given to those institutions. After 1985 elections, Members of National and Provincial Assemblies manoeuvred to take all the development funds from local governments.
It is an irrefutable fact that in developed and civilized countries, local government institutions act as nurseries of democracy, and future members of Parliament or Assemblies are groomed in electoral, democratic process and service to the people. It has to be said that ultimate goal of development is to build up the self-help capacities of people and community. But to achieve that aim, there has to be interaction with the people; and the government has to ensure that the State would discharge its obligations vis-?-vis health, education and providing job opportunities. An effective local government system, however, brings the government closer to the people and makes it more responsive and accountable. President General Pervez Musharraf is committed to make this system a success. In response to e-mails and media articles, he said: ?The local bodies system had achieved many targets successfully but there were also areas of flaw within the system, which requires improvement.
He referred to the amendments, which are meant a) to empower the local bodies system by vesting authority for efficiency and discipline of the officials at the local level; b) to end the friction over control of officials in the local government, the District and Tehsil administrative service would be created this year; and c) to restructure the provincial government departments to shed executive function and perform only regulatory functions such as setting and maintaining standards, making rules, special audits etc. In other words, provincial governments have been empowered with checks and balances, while the day-to-day functions would completely rest with the local governments so that they could continue with the development work without interference. If this arrangement could be put into practice in letter and in spirit, Members of National and Provincial Assemblies could focus on legislative work, for which they were elected.
There were, of course, voices for accountability of the Nazims before elections could be held. President General Pervez Musharraf, however, did not buy into provincial governments? justification for postponing the local government polls in view of allegations of corruption, and kept up his promise to hold elections according to the provisions of the constitution and relevant laws. Meanwhile, Acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Hamid Dogar has announced the schedule of three-phased non-party local government elections in 110 districts of the country with polling dates of August 18 and August 25 for direct elections, and September 28 for indirect elections of Nazims.
With the announcement of election schedule, all District, Tehsil, Town and Union Councils stand dissolved after completing their four-year term. Administrators have replaced Nazims who would continue performing their responsibilities including looking after the routine affairs of district, town, tehsil and UC administration till elections are held.
Acting Chief Election Commissioner has reiterated what his predecessor had said at the time of first elections under Local government Ordinance 2000 that elections to the local governments would be held on non-party basis. One would, however, be astonished to read statements by leaders of the ruling party expressing the determination to clean-sweep the local government elections. Similarly, the Opposition parties also issued statements to the effect that seat-to-seat adjustments would be made with the other Opposition parties in order to give tough time to the ruling alliance. In the last elections, despite the fact that elections were held on non-party basis, almost all political parties somehow managed to identify their candidates. Furthermore, their leaders addressed corner as well as public meetings with a view to canvassing for their candidates. Chief Election Commissioner should either ensure that all the political parties including the ruling party abide by the rules or elections should be held on party basis. At least, we will not become a laughing stock in the eyes of the world.
Decentralization of power and authority is one of the core issues in a democracy, and local government is considered a major form of decentralization. The problem, however, is that whenever our civil society had the chance to govern, our leadership betrayed the democratic principles and values. In civilized countries, local matters and issues are resolved by local or district government system, and to get their problems solved. Voters do not have to run from pillar to post ie Members of Parliament, Chief Minister, Governor, Prime Minister or President. The present system designed by NRB Chairman Lt. General Naqvi is a new experiment because in the past municipal corporations or institutions had no powers, and the tendency had been to concentrate power in authority of the State ignoring the people?s power. Prior to this system, the entire legislation about local government institutions was being done at the provincial level. Even now, efforts have been made by the provincial governments to take control of local governments.
Unfortunately, track record of the elected governments has not been commendable so far as elections of the municipal or local governments are concerned, and these governments balked at holding such elections. Field Martial Ayub Khan held BD elections, and used it as an electorate to get himself elected. Late General Ziaul Haq had also held elections to the municipal institutions. During 1985 elections, majority of members elected to the National and Provincial assemblies had the experience from local bodies, which helped them in conducting political affairs and to participate in political process. General Ziaul Haq had given quite some powers to the members of local bodies, and development funds were given to those institutions. After 1985 elections, Members of National and Provincial Assemblies manoeuvred to take all the development funds from local governments.
It is an irrefutable fact that in developed and civilized countries, local government institutions act as nurseries of democracy, and future members of Parliament or Assemblies are groomed in electoral, democratic process and service to the people. It has to be said that ultimate goal of development is to build up the self-help capacities of people and community. But to achieve that aim, there has to be interaction with the people; and the government has to ensure that the State would discharge its obligations vis-?-vis health, education and providing job opportunities. An effective local government system, however, brings the government closer to the people and makes it more responsive and accountable. President General Pervez Musharraf is committed to make this system a success. In response to e-mails and media articles, he said: ?The local bodies system had achieved many targets successfully but there were also areas of flaw within the system, which requires improvement.
He referred to the amendments, which are meant a) to empower the local bodies system by vesting authority for efficiency and discipline of the officials at the local level; b) to end the friction over control of officials in the local government, the District and Tehsil administrative service would be created this year; and c) to restructure the provincial government departments to shed executive function and perform only regulatory functions such as setting and maintaining standards, making rules, special audits etc. In other words, provincial governments have been empowered with checks and balances, while the day-to-day functions would completely rest with the local governments so that they could continue with the development work without interference. If this arrangement could be put into practice in letter and in spirit, Members of National and Provincial Assemblies could focus on legislative work, for which they were elected.