K-P cabinet clears local government bill for debate in assembly

"The commission will be completely independent and even the Chief Minister will be made accountable," says Farman.


Hidayat Khan October 04, 2013
"The commission will be completely independent and even the Chief Minister will be made accountable," said Shah Farman. PHOTO: FILE

PESHAWAR: Bills for Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Provincial Accountability Commission and the Local Government Act, 2013 will be tabled in the Provincial assembly in its next session on Monday, the K-P Information Minister Shah Farman said on Friday.

According to Farman, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa allies’ cabinet has deliberated over the two bills in detail so that it's ready to be tabled in the assembly.

He said both bills were designed to transfer authority to the lower level in a real sense while the accountability commission would authorise the public to hold all authority figures in the province accountable for their actions.

"The commission will be completely independent and even the Chief Minister will be made accountable," said Shah Farman.

He said the accountability commission was also important and along with the Right to Information Act, empowers any individual who is unable to access information to hold the concerned official accountable under the commission.

Empowering the common man

The provincial minister for local government Inayatullah Khan said that the Local Government Act would enable people at the village level exercise useful power and authority.

“Our local governments will be different from the previous one. Earlier, the dictator used it to manipulate power and authority while our system will empower the villagers.”

Both Farman and Khan praised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's vision on the issue.

Under the new set up, a village council has been introduced, with each council comprising of 2,000 to 10,000 people.

Those villages which exceed the required population will be divided into two councils, while those with too small a community will be added with another council.

In cities, the city blocks will considered as council. The minister said that population will be decided under the 1988 census.

The minister said that the village council will be elected on non-party basis while the District and Tehsil councils will be elected on a party basis.

“This has been done with the purpose of not changing the natural system of the villages,” said the minister.

“We are introducing a new system which will require some time. We want to deliberate it and want introduce it through collective wisdom, we don’t want to bulldoze things,” said the information minister Shah Farman.

Farman did not mention when the local government elections would be held.

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