Political space: ‘LG Ordinance an attempt to discourage emerging parties’

Workshop participants in Faisalabad demand withdrawal of Local Government Ordinance

FAISALABAD: Participants of a workshop on Saturday said the government should withdraw the Punjab Local Government (Amendment) Ordinance 2015 promulgated during Eid holidays.

The workshop, titled Political Participation of Marginalised Groups in Local Governments was organised by Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM) and Rights of Expression, Assembly, Association and Thought (REAT).

As many as 35 people, including community leaders, election candidates, former nazims and naib nazims, women and representatives of religious minorities participated in the consultation.

AWAM program director Naseem Anthony said the local governments brought grassroots democracy. “Local governments can train a new generation of political leaders,” he said. He said indirect elections to local government seats would stop marginalised groups from engaging in politics. “Marginalised groups will not be empowered under this system.”

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz women wing vice president Ruqaiya Ibrahim said, “The ordinance will hinder political participation of women in electoral politics,” she said.

Awami Workers Party representative Arif Ayaz said local government elections were long overdue.

“This time, voters from a union council will elect a chairman and vice chairman team and six councillors on general seats,” he said.

“The winning panel will select members for seats reserved for the youth, workers, minority and women through indirect election.”

He said the ordinance had been passed after the Punjab government saw a large number of independent candidates and political parties contesting local government elections for the first time secure dozens of seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Peace and Human Development Foundation director Suneel Malik said the Punjab Local Government Amendment Ordinance 2015 was an attempt to prevent political empowerment of marginalised groups and to discourage independent candidates.

“This ordinance will benefit only the ruling party and discourage emerging political parties representing workers and religious minorities,” he said.

He said in other provinces direct elections had been held.

Mujhahid Hussain Gillan, a lawyer, said many voters would lose confidence in the democratic process if the ordinance was not withdrawn.

“When there is a perception that the political system does not offer empowerment of the weak, the public will grow disenchanted with it,” he said. He said it should be revoked as soon as possible.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2^nd, 2015.