Awaiting implementation: PTI, ECP lock horns over local government polls

K-P government failed to conduct elections for the fourth time in 2014.

PESHAWAR: For the fourth time in 2014, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government failed to hold local government polls.

Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Inayatullah Khan justified the delay saying technical hurdles hindered the process. He told The Express Tribune the K-P government completed the delimitation process although the court had issued orders that delimitation is the responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

“After our delimitation process was approved by the ECP, we asked the commission to conduct the polls via bio-metric system, but they refused the request saying it is impossible for the commission to do so.”

When the incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government came to power, they promised to conduct local government elections by November 2013. So far, they have missed four deadlines.

According to PTI’s manifesto, the party shall strive towards creating a set of local institutions through which people can repose their trust and confidence. A citizens and community board would be created to monitor the delivery of services so that it is easy for people to interact with the government and the latter becomes more responsive and accountable.

In light of this, former district nazim and senator Ghulam Ali Khan said the current provincial government has violated the Constitution and forgotten their party’s manifesto. He recalled that during the campaign for the general elections of 2013, PTI Chairman Imran Khan promised to conduct local government polls within 90 days if his party came to power, but the promise remains unfulfilled.

In the past 10 years, democratic governments have failed to conduct local government polls successfully, said Ghulam. After the 18th Amendment, no institutions have been formed to address issues at the grass-root level. He said local bodies have been active during dictatorship but unfortunately, lawmakers in democratic governments hesitate to let power trickle down to the local level.

On the other hand, Awami National Party (ANP) leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain said the current government has wasted a year and a half in arguing to conduct polls through a biometric system despite flaws being found when it was tested in 2013.

Hussain shared the concerns of people from different districts of the province regarding the polls, saying people have demanded an increase in the number of seats for women and to empower union councils. A demand has also been made to reserve seats for people with disabilities.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2014.