The writer retired recently from the World Bank. He has a PhD from the Imperial College in London
The upcoming local government elections could provide an opportunity to address issues of governance in Karachi, provided the local governance system is strengthened to compensate for the division of the province into rural and urban segments.
A discussion on these issues is normally framed in terms of the political parties involved. Unless some structural issues are addressed, a change in political parties would only be a change on the margins.
One of the problems with Sindh is that it is the only province in Pakistan where a distinction has been made between urban and rural areas. An unintended consequence of this is that no matter how urban votes are cast, the management of urban Sindh will always lie with representatives of rural areas, since the rural area seats in the provincial assembly are more than those for the urban area.
The people of urban Sindh have genuine needs that relate to delivery of services across different sectors. They also have issues related to the law and order situation, which are more urban Sindh-specific.
The real solution is that the local governance system be modified so that political representatives of the people are made responsible for all areas that affect the lives of those living there.
This will be possible only if we devolve responsibility and resources to a third tier of the government and implement a strong local governance system. We see that when responsibility was actually devolved to this level, as was done during General Musharraf’s time, urban Sindh and Karachi witnessed tremendous progress.
On the other hand, we see that without this further delegation of resources and responsibility downwards, the previous tenures of mayors from the same political parties were not as effective.
The upcoming local government elections can provide the necessary opening provided that, firstly, the remit of the local governments in urban Sindh are strengthened to include all areas related to service delivery, and law and order that affect the lives of the citizens. The enhanced scope of local government responsibilities in Sindh is necessary to accommodate the aberration of the rural-urban divide that exists in the province. Secondly, elected representatives, not bureaucrats, are made responsible for these areas. Thirdly, resources allocated within the provincial budget for these areas are divided in proportion of the populations of rural and urban Sindh so that this distribution is even-handed; and finally, ensuring that measures are incorporated into the system of disbursement of funds so that amounts allocated for the third tier would be automatically released by the provincial government.
In the past, attempts to devolve responsibility to the local government have been resisted by the party in power at the provincial level. Unfortunately, the Sindh provincial assembly voted again in favour of a bill that limits the scope of the local government and vests the responsibility with bureaucrats instead of political appointees. This is counter to all democratic principles and international practice regarding local government.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 22nd, 2013.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
COMMENTS (9)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
I agreed with the writer Mayer and Nazim system was good in progressing but should be made non party election so every one get benefited.
Although it was a one side article, favoring MQM and criticizing PPP but still being a Sindhi and resident of interior Sindh, I support the writer's viewpoint that the poor people of interior Sindh won't be able to get their due rights but let me say that, this is democracy for you, selected by us annd in democratic form of government, whoever grabs mandate is eligible to do legislation and others (MQM or people belonging to Urban areas) have to abide by that legislation. Now either change the form of government to plutocracy, autocracy whatever or stop crying!! It can't be molded in a way that supports a particular class of people.
Bureaucrats have no place in politics. Then why there are so many bureaucrats in all the political parties?
@TruthFactor: Your thoughts are typical of a Feudal and Wadera mentality and then you have the audacity to talk about democracy. Unfortunately, democracy in our country - rule of majority - is nothing but phony...
@TruthFatcor: Democracy should be for all and it should not stop at the provincial and federal levels. It is the mindset of the Mian or Chaudhri of Punjab, khan of KPK, Sardar of Baluchistan and Wadera of Sindh that they try to limit the benefits of democracy only upto their levels and the passage of the present local bodies act is a manifestation of this mentality of waderas as they don't want the non-Sindhis to live with honour and dignity. Moreover, as far as the myth of majority is concerned if the present wadera-government of Sind passes a bill with majority that no non -Sindhi is allowed to cast vote in elections shall it be acceptable? If all are Sindhis then why is there quota system on the basis of urban and rural only in Sindh? Actually, the waderas of sindh are taking full advantage of this quota system and along with the rural they with the help of their clout and influences are grabbing even the urban posts depriving the non-Sindhis of even their meagre right.
@TruthFatcor: Is there any truth on what you chose to base your argument? The Sindh Assembly chose to retain and increase power in the hands of a few rather than to devolve power to the local government level, simple. There is no argy bargy here, just simple power politics by the self proclaimed harbingers of democracy, robbery of basic rights from local representatives in broad daylight. . The rest of Pakistan has moved on and Sindhis can't even free themselves from bonded slavery. Unless power is devolved to the cities and rural areas in Sindh proportionately which is what this article is all about, Sindh will not progress. . Sindh Assembly will continue the gradual process of destroying Sindh while the rest of Pakistan moves on.
@Truth Democracy should not stop at the Sindh government level.
What about the majority of people of Urban Sindh who are against this so called local bodies system?
Will the Rural Sindh Warderas continue to rule over the majority of Urban Sindh? Until when?
@Truthfactors...Democracy is a form of government in which all eligible citizens participate equally...it is not mean to buldozing the right of urban area by passing the representativeof urban area...if all are sindhi why discrimination between urban and rural..why urdu speaking are not accepted as C.M..in democracy every body has the right to have its own opinion..
Democracy represents the voice of majority and this LG system was passed with majority and people should respect the mandate of Sindh Govt. And one sided articles should be avoided to create confusion. At this time, we need balanced view but this article is an effort to over stretch issue. All those people who live in Sindh on permanent basis, they are Sindhi and non-Sindhi speakers should also respect the local culture, language, the land and authority.