Empowering grassroots: ‘Local govt elections must be held on time’
Speakers say greater participation by people, access to information steps in the right direction.
73.79 per cent of the people surveyed wanted local governments back. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
LAHORE:
“The Local Government Act 2013 must be implemented in its true spirit and the elections must be held on time. The local government elections will allow citizens to directly participate in the democratic process,” Muddassir Arif of the Institute of Social and Policy Sciences (I-SAPS) said at a Stakeholders’ Consultation arranged by the I-SAPS at Avari Hotel on Tuesday.
He said that access to information was crucial for good governance and democratic development. He said the new law allowed citizens to participate in the process of decision making. “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Right to Information Ordinance, 2013, is one of the best laws in the world regarding the citizens’ right to information,” he said.
According to a recent survey conducted by I-SAPS, 73.79 per cent of the people surveyed wanted local governments back; 83 per cent wanted elections; and 29 per cent said access to the government was easier at the union council level.
MPA Murad Ras, a PTI representative, said that powers must be devolved to the grassroots level. “It is time for us to rise above party loyalties and work towards national interest. A change is only possible if we devolve power to the grassroots,” he said.
Ras criticised the provincial government’s decision not to devolve the health and education departments to the local government level. He said without devolution in the two sectors the ‘local body system’ would be less than a government. He also said that the elections to the local government must be party-based.
MPA Sardar Waqas Hassan Moakkal said, “Participating in the local government elections is the right of every citizen.”
Moakkal said that people must participate in the local government election. “Only then will we be able to implement the LGA in its true spirit,” he said, “As a member of the opposition, I could have scored some points by criticising the Act, but I honestly believe that we should give it a chance.”
MPA Qamarul Islam said that increasing women’s participation and providing youth seats at the union council level for the youth were steps in the right direction. “I just hope the local government system is not held hostage by local MPAs and MNAs,” he said.
Local Government Special Secretary Dawood Muhammad Bareach said that the system could only succeed if people had the right to information. The Act, he said, allowed for third party audit of accounts, including social audits regarding issues like gender discrimination.
Special Committee on Punjab LG Bill Chairman Chaudhry Abdul Razzaq Dhillon said, “We requested members of the opposition to participate and tried to reach a consensus on the bill. All members of the assembly participated in the process and gave suggestions.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2013.
“The Local Government Act 2013 must be implemented in its true spirit and the elections must be held on time. The local government elections will allow citizens to directly participate in the democratic process,” Muddassir Arif of the Institute of Social and Policy Sciences (I-SAPS) said at a Stakeholders’ Consultation arranged by the I-SAPS at Avari Hotel on Tuesday.
He said that access to information was crucial for good governance and democratic development. He said the new law allowed citizens to participate in the process of decision making. “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Right to Information Ordinance, 2013, is one of the best laws in the world regarding the citizens’ right to information,” he said.
According to a recent survey conducted by I-SAPS, 73.79 per cent of the people surveyed wanted local governments back; 83 per cent wanted elections; and 29 per cent said access to the government was easier at the union council level.
MPA Murad Ras, a PTI representative, said that powers must be devolved to the grassroots level. “It is time for us to rise above party loyalties and work towards national interest. A change is only possible if we devolve power to the grassroots,” he said.
Ras criticised the provincial government’s decision not to devolve the health and education departments to the local government level. He said without devolution in the two sectors the ‘local body system’ would be less than a government. He also said that the elections to the local government must be party-based.
MPA Sardar Waqas Hassan Moakkal said, “Participating in the local government elections is the right of every citizen.”
Moakkal said that people must participate in the local government election. “Only then will we be able to implement the LGA in its true spirit,” he said, “As a member of the opposition, I could have scored some points by criticising the Act, but I honestly believe that we should give it a chance.”
MPA Qamarul Islam said that increasing women’s participation and providing youth seats at the union council level for the youth were steps in the right direction. “I just hope the local government system is not held hostage by local MPAs and MNAs,” he said.
Local Government Special Secretary Dawood Muhammad Bareach said that the system could only succeed if people had the right to information. The Act, he said, allowed for third party audit of accounts, including social audits regarding issues like gender discrimination.
Special Committee on Punjab LG Bill Chairman Chaudhry Abdul Razzaq Dhillon said, “We requested members of the opposition to participate and tried to reach a consensus on the bill. All members of the assembly participated in the process and gave suggestions.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2013.