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Report

Civil Society Consultation

Representative Local Governance & PLGB 2012Ambassador Hotel, Lahore, Thursday, 15 November, 2012

Jointly Organized by: RDPI, Practical Action, WISE and European Commission

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The Civil Society Consultation “Representative Local Governance & PLGB 2012” was jointly organized by Rural Development Policy Institute (RDPI) Islamabad, Practical Action, European Union and Women in Struggle for Empowerment (WISE), on November 15, 2012 at Ambassador Hotel, Lahore.

The participants and speakers included representatives of political parties e.g. PPP, PML (N), PML (Q) and PTI. A large number of members of civil society and media also attended the conference. The Conference was divided into three sessions:

1. The first session was themed: An ideal Local Government System: Citizens Perspective, 2. The second session was titled: Punjab Local Government Bill 2012: Civil Society’s

Concerns, Positions & Demands, 3. While the third session was on: PLG Bill 2012: Legislative Processes and the Need for

Reforms

After the welcome address by Ms. Bushra Khaliq, Executive Director, WISE, the moderator of the session asked the participants to introduce themselves. After that she sought participants’ reflections of the following questions, the participants were given separate colored cards to write down their answers. The questions were:

1. Why a representative local government system?2. Implications of absence of representative local government? 3. Features of an ideal LG system? 4. Significance of law for an ideal LG system?

Participants’ Reflections:

1. Why a representative local government?

Responses:

LG system is well connected and has greater accessibility with common people Provide equitable representation to women and minorities for political participation Common people can approach elected members for their day to day problems Easy to held him/ her accountable for poor performance Solution to people’s problems and democratic The elected government is accountable for people’s problems and their rights Promote local leadership and mass based participation Local people, local issues and

local resources be insured to participate Very basic thing for the whole governing systems of the country Trust building between people and government

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For the flourishing of true democracy; local government system is essential Basic facilities at door step For the devolution of power, well representative at decision making level For the protection of human rights, struggles and for the unions Easy approach to elected representatives and more opportunities for women to resolve

their issues Political system must not be taken as a class based activity; but the common people can

participate from local to national politics. Peoples issues be resolved at the local level, democratic culture be strengthened, they

feel the part of political culture, get easy and direct reach to their local leaders The only local govt. can understand their local people’s issues and people can get their

leaders held accountable.

2. Implications of absence of representative local government?

Responses:

Lack of better governance Local democracy weakening Strengthening of civil administrative structures Mistrust on democracy and gets unpopular in the country For the economic, social and political systems; it is imperative There is no participation by the people in govt. Closer to the reps and fast development Grass root representation is denied Vulnerable groups are eliminated Middle and upper tiers of politicians do not have any checks on their power Education and health like basic rights will not be addressed In the absence of local govt. the bureaucracy gets more powers The efficient and good performance of local governance create more job ooprtunities,

progress, prosperity and a peaceful life In the absence of LG Union council do not care of the poor people and issues remained

unaddressed; causing people desperation All development stopped in absence of local structures All union council be well representatives and well functioning and their basic role must

be as to address peoples issues In the absence of LG, people are unable to explore and utilize local resources and also

they lack their own systems for resolving problems at local level

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3. Features of an ideal LG system?

Responses:

There must be a leader to act in all situations The leader must be the vocal and be able to challenge the power structure Through Local governance; new leadership can emerge Local governance is constitutional right of the people This is the only and easy way to participate The right to legislate The social justice at the local level The local serve the people better as well as the accountability be possible Women must be empowered for sustainable development The administrative and financial powers be transferred at local level The representation of men, minorities and women be ensured The basic rights be protected and the issue like education, health and cleanliness along

with development be at local level the elected representative must have the knowledge of the area, issues and

commitment to resolve Women be having 33 to 50% reserved seats The system must be responsive and can offer active participation Participatory and devolution Elected, democratic, equity, capacity to address women , peoples and minority issues People must be considered as the focal and important organ of the system; and the

provincial govt should only focus on the legislation Larger public participation Local level decentralization Clearly defined roles of local and provincial govt Strengthening of local public representatives Strengthening of local political and social institutions

4. Significance of law for an ideal LG system?

Responses

Law is the basic foundation Law be implemented strictly with letter and spirit Law must be obeyed by the all citizens

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Local representatives be aware of the laws and can challenge if not favorable to the common people

Local representation is highly important to bridge between the common people issue to the higher authorities

Local government election be held no matter on political or non political basis The voter and voters’ registration process should be easy for people October 17 is marked as an election day in Pakistan; this right must be protected and

get exercised People must have the local mechanisms to held their elected representatives

accountable The law is much needed for the local governance and for the real devolution; in case of

violation people should have the ways to challenge and get remedy The powers be devolved at local level for administrative, as well as legislative

After that Ms. Bushra Khaliq invited the panelists and next moderator to start the second session.

Session 2:

Punjab Local Government Bill 2012: Civil Society’s Concerns, Positions, Demands

Moderator: Azhar Lashari

Topics and Panelists:

Punjab LGA 2012: A Critical Analysis by Amjad Nazeer (Researcher, Analyst) Issues of Women, Minorities and oppressed sections’ representation in PLGA 2012 By

Ms. Fauzia Vaqar, Shirkat Gah Devolution, decentralization and participation in PLGA 2012, by Salman Abid (SPO), PLGA 2012: Challenges of Public Oversight in Legislative Processes, by Zahid Islam

(Sangat Foundation)

During the first session and while presenting the major findings of critical analysis PLGB 2012, Mr. Amjad Nazeer (the Researcher, Analyst) highlighted that:

Constitution of Pakistan (Article 32 & 10) Decentralize administration to dispose its business for public convenience & requirements, Provincial Govts to Decentralize its’ administration and to encourage Local Government institutions at Union Council level.

Constitution of Pakistan article (140-A) says that: Each Province shall, by law, establish a LG system and devolve Political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority to the Elected Representatives of LGs.

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Charter of Democracy elaborates that: Local Body Election will be held on a Party Basis and Constitutional Protection be given to LBs, Make them Autonomous and answerable to their Respective Assemblies and to the People through Regular Courts of law.

18th Constitutional Amendment: LGs Suitable to their Local Conditions. Punjab Local Government Bill 2012 was Presented in June 2012, Structure & Substance

Closer to 1979 LB Ordinance. Elements of 2001 Ord. Nomenclature Chairman V. Chairman, Mayor & Deputy Mayor Elections: Non-Party or Party based: The Bill is silent about; and this is generally a ‘Limited’ or ‘Controlled Devolution’.

Mechanism for Citizens to hold LG Representatives Accountable Vague and Urban-Rural divides Re-introduced Causing Controversies; Zila still defined as Revenue Distts (Punjab Revenue Act 1967) excluding Urban Areas; Union Council, Markaz Council, Town Committees, Zila Council, Municipal Committee, Municipal Corp. Metropolitan Corp.

The Constitution of LCs under Clause: “the Govt. by notification, Extend, Dissolve, Amalgamate, Curtail or Alter its boundaries.

Restoration of ‘Commissioners and ‘Deputy Commissioners’ subservient to the Secretary and Chief Secretary and this is a sign of maintaining Bureaucratic Control.

Government of Punjab to appoint Secretary for Markaz, Councils to perform certain functions & exercise powers as prescribed, Deputy Commissioner appointed as final Arbitrator: in case of Dispute & Appointment of Secretary; Maneuvered for Final gains or Political expediency LG Boards to be Constituted under Punjab LG Ordinance 1979, to administer offices & officials of LC Services; Members of village Panchayat & Sarpunch to be nominated by GoPj, which is a Square violation of Article 140-A.

Markaz Council: GoPj to nominate Officials as its’ members. This is again not clear how many to be the Civil Servants. Conflicts with Section 25 (e) of the Bill that disqualifies Govt. official to become members of LC and Rural Councils to submit development projects’ progress reports to the Planning & Development Departments.

Govt. of Punjab is authorized to put up Divisional & District Coordination Committees and maintains the powers to reconstitute or abolishes; Appointed without voting rights, members or chairmen shall wield sufficient amount of power as their decision will be final.

Civil Servants and LG Services: Poor Salary & Incentives, Limited Capacities and management skills, trainings and opportunities

Govt. of Punjab can inspect LCs and its’ working once a year by officers appointed by the Govt. to inquire into the affairs of a Local Council”. “Government may, by notification, suspend a LC Chairman, Mayor or Deputy Mayor if found guilty. This kind of mechanisms are unchallengeable and limited powers left with elected representatives,

Government of Punjab is to Constitute LG Board comprising on 3 to 5 members and the final Authority held by the Boards.

LG Funds entirely controlled by the Government of Punjab. LG & Community Development Department to comprise on ex-officio members of LG

Board & Board shall perform the functions of Pl. Commission for LCs and LCs to seek approval of Development Plans from Planning & Development. Dept (Article 49)

There is the 5 % quota for the minorities and of all General Members, they may contest against on general seat in addition to reserved Seats; Taken for granted that reserved

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seats shall be filled by indirect election of general members. Real goal is to mainstream and equal right of citizenry; 33% representation of women in all LCs is a positive point but the language of the bill is gender insensitive; Women can be elected directly and the seats be filled through general electorate, 33% Presence in all monitoring Committees, Presence in Council meetings, and Gender Mainstreaming, general Budgeting and General Audit and Women Specific Projects are retained by the Govt of Punjab.This arrangement is in violation to Article 140-A, but indicates overlaps and lack of clarities; and only gives Maintenance & Construction responsibilities; Here the Provincial Govts’ discretion and Superseding powers; However, the case is relatively less problematic with Health than with Education.

Municipalities & Corporations to have a Parliament, Elected by General, Direct, Free, Equal & Secret ballot and Local Authorities to manage all their affairs, Including Finance, Planning and Development etc. Here again the Confusion & Conglomeration of Panchayats, Markazes, UCs, Towns, Committees & Corporations must be simplified for administrative, political and electoral convenience.

A sort of ‘Local Cabinet’ to be constituted at the Local Level, elected through direct Franchise of the Mayor, Constituted by the members of ‘district assembly’ Not be created as an extension of the provincial governments rather an autonomous third tier of the governance.

The state should be able to dissolve local authorities by means of an act of parliament; Authorities should Command Legislative and Financial Sovereignty. Rights not to be infringed by the Federation or the Province.

Provision for Chairperson’s honorarium is there but there is a need and demand for general members Honorarium too.

Federal & Provincial line agencies and departments must be separated from Areas of Local Governance.

The power point presentation was based on the above salient features of Punjab Local Government Bill 2012, critical points and suggestions made by Mr. Amjad Nazeer, and all the participants appreciated the efforts in this regard. At the occasion and hand book was also distributed among the participants printed by RDPI.

The second speaker of the session was Mr. Salman Abid, Regional Director SPO, an expert on LG System said that democracy in Pakistan is still in transitional phase. Political Parties do not believe and practices on decentralization, rather their working pattern are traditionally basis on centralization.The issue of bad governance throughout Pakistan is linked with the absence of local government system. On the other hand, political parties also face difficult and challenges for many reasons. The emerged situation of poor law and order caused the poor political process in some parts of the country like Baluchistan, Karachi and so on.

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This is a fact that in Punjab the question of local elections is no more in discussion; and it seems that the allocation of resources through MPAs for the development purposes here is simply a conflicting area and clash of political institutions.

All provincial legislatures are working on development projects which they are not supposed to do. All provincial governments must be legally bound to hold elections. Apart from the govt. negligence on constitutional account; here at the part of civil society in Punjab we also lack collective resistance. There must be the debate for democratization, local elections with sufficient representation to women and religious minorities with administrative, financial and legislative powers. Today, there is a big need of mass mobilization including political parties, the women groups, labor unions and minority rights movements for raising voice to highlight the people’s real demands and local government system election without further dealys.

Ms. Fauzia Vaqar from Shirkat Gah was the third to speak in the session. She opened her talks with an observation that manifestos of political parties have no specific guidelines to establish local government system in the country. It’s the right time for civil society to initiate a compaign to ‘save’ local government system by questioning the manifestos of political parties.

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She said 40% of the legislation in the National Assembly has been done by the women parliamentarians. Women legislators have moved 22 bills, she said. They have legislated 6 laws. This is no mean achievement by any standard. Civil society can pressurize political parties to hold local elections to save local government system.

While sharing further, Ms. Fauzia vaqar said that the previous election came out with fruit of decentralization as well as the opportunity for more than 40,000 women into the direct political process at local level.

Presently over 70% women who were active at local political process are now back to home.On the other hand election itself has become a matter of power and money; the only candidates with well resourced and having social capital can become the part of a regular political arena. And this is unfortunate and perhaps the pone the reason of women exclusion.

We, the civil society as a major stake holder, must forge our strengths to voice for gender equality and women back into politics.

She said that it was witnessed during the Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva this year the govt. was proudly sharing the achievements in legislative framework but never asserted about the LG system and women representation.

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She alos pointed out that the language of the draft bill by Punjab is not gender sensitive. She criticized the political parties’ manifestoes which are not clearly reflecting the decentralized political structures.

Zahid islam, Director from Sangat Foundation, another expert on the subject said that the question of local governance has been settled now after the supreme court judgment. This has become now a constitutional binding that there must be local governments based on local representatives in all provinces of Pakistan.

Local Elections can be held any time, as the pressure upon the ruling party is also coming from the other political parties. He said that Pakistan has never been run without local Government system. This is only Punjab province where the ruling party does not believe on decentralization and devolution of power to the local people.

He further said, the 18th Constitutional Amendment has to a greater extent addressed the simmering questions between the federation and the federating units. The abolition of the concurrent legislative list and devolution of major subjects and functions related to social sector and service delivery have provided provinces with greater autonomy, authority and resources to develop their policies, priorities and initiatives to address long standing development needs of local communities.

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He said, the centralist tendencies of the Pakistani state were reversed by the political wisdom of democratic forces after more than six decades with the heavy cost of breaking of the country and rupture of the state and the society.

The 18thConstitutional Amendment has, indeed, brought major structural changes by rewriting the federalist character of the country. It has shifted the focus of the state from a unitary and centralist to a participatory and inclusive federation.

The Local Government Ordinance 2001 was amended in 2005. The provincial governments of Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtoon Khawa brought legislation while in Sindh there was resentment for LG system 1979 and reinstated the LG system of 2001. This is highly unfortunate that in Punjab there is no law presented in assembly. The negligence of the assembly members is that they are also taking the legal bindings as a casual matter. He criticized that it s a pity that the meetings of standing committee on local government are not regularly undertaken. During the last 4 years, there are only three meetings are recorded of the standing committee.

He further said that the bureaucrats of Punjab Province are also using and enjoying powers under the same law. He pointed out that there are more than 100 cantonments with their own boards for all administrative and financial affairs. These are not discussed in assembly or even any other forum. Historically, Pakistan has experienced and enacted three different models of local governance know as the ordinance of 1960, 1979 and 2001. Presently the Punjab Province is run without local peoples’ participation.

The Punjab government is legally bound to legislate and create the third tier of governance in the province with all powers related to the political, legal, administrative and financial at the local level for people’s real empowerment.

Ms. Amna Ulfat, MPA, PML-Q said that today we are facing dictatorial type of government in Punjab, highly centralized, where the all MPAs are directly involved in development affaires; only focusing consumption of funds in streets and roads construction, and basically their prime responsibility and function is to legislate and setting up the implementation mechanism in province to improve, law n order, unemployment and other common peoples issues with regard to their daily lives.

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She further explained that the LG system in 2001 was aimed to transfer the all powers and empowerment to the local and common citizens, and the efficiency of the said system was acknowledged by the whole world. If the present government feels that there were some problems and short comings in that system, they should make a comprehensive critical analysis, discuss and correct to make it more effective rather to get it suspended. We, the members sitting in assembly in the assembly have the power and responsibility to correct those things which are ineffective. But the people needs and their direct role in political process and empowerment must be intact by all means.

Ms. Kanwal Naseem, Ex. MPA from PML-Q shared her own personal experiences and said that she secured more number of votes than the local Nazim of her area. She said that before there were many perceptions about women participation and their role in politics but when the women were provided opportunities; they took it with great responsibility and showed results.

She also expressed that the present government is afraid of the local peoples’ power and the other political forces in the province. She demand that the LG system must be restored and the law must be tabled in assembly for a sustainable political solution without delaying tactics.

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Ms. Mahnaz Rafee, Ex MPA and political leader of PTI said that this is important to have all three tiers of governance structures for the people’s advantages and real development for the local araes. She said that we can understand that whenever the democratic process begins; the army takes over and sabotage all political process as well as the institutions. But now the situation has been changed, from 2008 onwards; the all provincial governments and political parties have got enough opportunity to learn from the past and they must now become visionary to decentralize all powers to the local people for their development.

She further shared that through LG system; women got 33% reserved seats and they also got extensive capacity building trainings. These women brought a revolution at that level.

She suggested that the legislatures must revisit their role, responsibilities and functions of the system. They must play their role only for the legislation, if they feel that the previous LG systems have shortcomings, can make it correct through legislative reforms. But this is unfair and unconstitutional to get the people out from the decision making structures.

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While explaining, she said that the spirit of the 18th Constitutional Amendment and the 7th NFC Award is being mutilated by the provincial authorities and political leadership. Therefore, it becomes incumbent on the provincial governments that they comply with the constitutional command of putting the elected local government systems in place to reap the dividends of political and fiscal devolution ushered in by the 18thAmendment and 7th NFC Award.

It is because of absence of local government system in the country that according to an analysis of Punjab’s 2010-11 budget 84 per cent of development funds for the province were consumed in Lahore alone. `This is the price that people pay when local governments are left in the hands of unelected administrators. We, therefore, demand that local election must be announced and scheduled without any further delay.

Mr. Mubeen Ud Din Qazi, the senior lawyer and legal expert on LG system said that there are some examples where we have gone into litigation on the question of the absence of local governance. He said that if the people’s power and representation is not ensured through the political system, means there is no democracy in that country. Present government system is based on dictatorship and run by the colonial bureaucracy. He also criticized the Punjab Local Government Bill 2012 and presented many clauses which are contradicted to basic democratic norms. He said that the present bill is prepared by some bureaucrats without the involvement of political represents.

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While explaining, he said that Pakistan is the signatory of a charter by UN on local governance, the High court and Supreme court has given judgments for the restoration and new laws to devolve all powers towards the third tier of the governance but the govt. is intentionally violating constitution resulted people out of political participation.

He said that local governance system did not suit to any major political party on the basis of power and centralization. Therefore, civil society should finalize recommendations for a local government system and launch advocacy and lobbying campaign with legislative bodies and political parties to get the same back; duly approved by provincial assemblies.

While appreciating MR. Amjad critique on the bill, he further suggested developing a thorough criticism clause by clause. He also said that civil society should send its recommendation to the government in writing while covering all clauses.

Ms. Sajida Mir, MPA, PPP said that why this bureaucracy is running our province and enjoying the powers which are meant for the people. The local governance system works like a university for the people to learn politics and process.

This new bill is highly criticized on the grounds of narrowing down the number of seats for women, the overall all seats at union council level, before it was 21 but now the bill proposes only 14. She said this kind of set up will only encourage the local corrupt powerful mafia and the gangsters will rule us.

She said that the standing committee meeting is not regularly called upon due to the bad intentions of the leadership and ruling party in Punjab. She demanded for the third tier of the governance; and to her which was the only way to get the common people involved into direct politics with some powers.

Ms. Nighat Saeed from ASR Resource Center said that democracy means that people’s voice will be heard, and they will be able to participate in planning and decisions for development for their local areas. The local population will get direct benefits from the development made by their elected representatives. She said that rather people have access to the local resources they are now becoming dependants on NGOs which is simply unfair and highly undemocratic as well. She further explained that civil society does not encourage dictator regimes but as far as the dividends of the devolution are concerned, was enormous.

She concluded that Pakistan is surprisingly, on the higher numbers of signing and ratifying UN treaties and conventions but at the lowest ranks on human development index because of the lack of coordinated efforts, political will for a larger discourse on human development. She also opined to save democracy through new law on local governance for a stable country.

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Mr. Abdul Razzaq Dhillon, the last speaker of the consultation, the parliamentary Secretary of Local government and Community Development-Punjab said that this law has been proposed and still under discussion between parliamentary committees. Therefore, at this stage we will welcome civil society suggestions to make it more comprehensive and the improved one.

He further said that the previous system was initiated by a dictator while taking dictation from America and western countries to save his regime, why our civil governments are pushed and imposed to take that system legitimized. While answering a question he said that it is true that the bill was not prepared by the stake holders but it was written by a group of bureaucrats. Meantime; the organizers asked the participants to put questions for the secretary. The questions raised are as follows:

Law has not been brought under public oversight? Why the election has been deferred? Which stakeholders have been taken on board during legislative process? If this govt. is not holding election, law making process should be the mandate of the

next govt. The representation ratio of the minorities is not acceptable. Why the political govts are always fearful of holding LG elections? The language of the bill is gender insensitive The law should provide the provision for unionization and labor rights The present bill emphasized on the bureaucrats rather to the people s empowerment

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Reduction of the size of the union councils will only facilitate to the local powerful segments.

While replying the audience concerns, reflections and questions Mr. Dhillon said that we will invite all stake holder meeting for their suggestions to making of such a law which can address the people’s concerns and enable to devolve powers.

At the end of the meeting, Mr. Muhammad Tahseen, Executive Director, South Asia Partnersip-Pakistan and the moderator of the session thanked all speakers and said that the delay in holding local government elections was against the spirit of democracy and a violation to Constitution of Pakistan. He explained that the State has expanded itself at the top but shrunk at the grassroots level which is very unfortunate.

While sharing concluding remarks, he said that this is imperative for the Govt. of Punjab to give due respect to the peoples voices and demands for the law and bring the LG system back with more powers and devolution on the account of political, administrative and financial affairs.

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Program of Civil Society Consultation on Punjab Local Government Bill 201215th November 2012, Ambassador Hotel Lahore

Time Session Speaker/Responsibility10:00 Registration, Introduction, objectives Bushra Khaliq, Azhar LashariSESSION-I10:30-11:30

An ideal Local Government System: Citizens Perspective (Moderator: Bushra Khaliq) Why a representative local government? Implications of absence of representative local government? Features of an ideal LG system? Significance of law for an ideal LG system?

Individual in-puts, Plenary discussion based on individual in-puts

Questionnaire

11:30-11:45 TEA BREAKSESSION-II Punjab Local Government Bill 2012: Civil Society’s Concerns, Positions, Demands

Moderator: Azhar Lashari11:45-12:00 Punjab LGA 2012: A Critical Analysis Amjad Nazeer

(Researcher, Analyst)Presentation

12:00-12:35 Issues of Women, Minorities and oppressed sections’ representation in PLGA 2012

Mumtaz Mughal(Aurat Foundation)

Presentation

12:35- 12:50 Devolution, decentralization and participation in PLGA 2012

Salman Abid (SPO), Presentation

12:50-01:10 PLGA 2012: Challenges of Public Oversight in Legislative Processes

Zahid Islam (Sangat) Nighat Saeed (ASR)

Presentation

12:50-01:10 Policy Positioning and Recommendations on PLGA 2012

Bushra Khaliq (WISE) Based on review paper, discussion

1:10-02:00 LUNCH BREAK2:00-03:40SESSION-III:

PLG Bill 2012: Legislative Processes and the Need for Reforms Moderator: Muhammad Tehseen

2:00-02:20 Summary of CSOs Concerns Positioning and Recommendations on PLGA 2012

Amjad Nazeer Presentation

2:20-03:20 PLGA 2012: Challenges the Opposition faced in Legislative Processes: The Opposition’s Critique

Sajida Mir, Faiza Malik, Mahnaz Rafee, Amna Ulfat, Ex. Nazims, Tariq Sana Bajwa, Mubin uddin Qazi,

Presentation/speech

3:20-03:35 PLGA 2012: The Government’s Future Plan Ch. Abdul Razzaq DhillonParliamentary Secretary, Local Government & Community Development-Punjab

Presentation/speech

3:35-03:50 Question Answer, Wrap Up Muhammad Tehseen ParticipatorySession iii Advocacy on PLGA 2012: Civil Society’s Collaboration and Way Ahead3:50-04:00 Plan of Action for Advocacy on PLGA 2012 Azhar Lashari (RDPI) In-puts from

participants

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Media Coveragehttp://epaper.dawn.com/DetailNews.php?StoryText=16_11_2012_178_005

Absence of LGs linked to lack of accountabilityBy Our Staff Reporter | 11/16/2012 12:00:00 AM

        

LAHORE, Nov 15: The very absence of a representative local government system has shrunk the space for pro-active participation of people in public affairs and holding the government accountable.

This was stated by a number of speakers at a civil society consultation on `Representative Local Governance and Punjab Local Government Bill 2012` jointly organized by the Women in Struggle for Empowerment and Rural Development Policy Institute here on Thursday.

The speakers from various walks of life said with no people-led accountability forums in place, the decisions pertaining to delivery of basic services were characterized by non-participatory, exclusionary, arbitrary process and mechanisms. They said the allocation of resources for people`s development ultimately failed to deliver because the poor and the marginalized sections were excluded from decision-making processes.

They said the local government system must entail institutional accountability. But, they deplored, the Punjab Local Government Act 2012 lacked this spirit of democratic accountability through citizens who elected the local government. It was democratic accountability that ensured responsiveness on the part of elected representatives to citizens` needs, they added.

Following the termination of last local governments` tenure in 2009, they said, the newly-found interim local setups, largely controlled by bureaucracy, were established in all provinces. Under the 18th Amendment, the provincial governments were authorised to legislate on whatever local government system suits their respective conditions best.

However, they said, the provincial legislation on the future local government system in all four provinces, including Punjab, had been marked by unnecessary delays and legal anomalies. In April 2012, the Supreme Court ordered all the provincial governments to honour the command of the constitution and immediately announce local election schedules. In response to the SC direction the Punjab cabinet approved the related law draft which was riddled with legal anomalies and limited the scope of decentralization, they observed.

The speakers said importance of local governance had increased manifold after the passage of the 18th Amendment.

But, they said, the provincial governments had yet to devolve the powers at local level. Unfortunately, the debate on the local government system had been shifted to the backburner and there was no more political discussion over this vital issue, they lamented.The speakers included Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Abdul Razzaq Dhillon, MPA Sajida Mir, PTPs Mahnaz Rafi, MPA Amna Ulfat, and Messrs Salman Abid, Zahid Islam and Muhammad Tehseen. 

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List of Participants

Sr. # Name Organization5. Anila Gill National Commission of Justice & Peace6. Nabila Feroze Minority Rights Commission7. Pervaiz John Minority Rights Commission8. Fauzia Vaqar Shirkat Gah9. Sajid Ali Baloch ASR Resource Center10. Shazia Khan WISE11. Iqra Anjum WISE12. Shamim Akhtar WISE13. Tabinda Murad Lady Councilor-Shahdara14. Mudassar Farooq Foundation for Law & Governance15. Salman Abid SPO16. Rana Latafat PASSCO Union (CBA)17. Iffat Bukhari RDPI18. Zahid Islam SANGAT19. Sadia Saluddin The News on Sunday20. Asma Rehman Labor Resource Center21. Muhammad Javaid Lawyer22. Saqib Shahzad RDPI23. Fozia Chughtai Nida Welfare Society24. Nabeela Shaheen Aurat Foundation25. Shahzad Bhatti Lawyer26. Amjad Nazeer Consultant, Analyst27. Abdullah Malik Advisor to Governor28. Iftikhar Rasul Sar Sabz Foundation29. Zahida WISE30. Safia Bibi Lady Councilor- Shahdara31. Kaniz Fatima Social worker32. Kashif Aslam NCJP33. Shammas Jalil SPO34. Akmal Waseem AHD35. Ume- Farwa PASSCO36. Tahira Syed PASSCO37. Ahmad Raza PML-N38. Naseem Bano PML-N39. Asim Shahzad Daily Express40. Samia Ijaz Daily Leader41. Gonila Gill Daily Dunya42. Hina Rasheed Jahan Pakistan (Weekly)43. Fakhira Tehreem Daily Jang44. Mubeen ud Din Qazi Senior Lawyer45. Mehnaz Rafee Leader PTI46. Muhammad Tahseen SAP-PK47. Sajida Mir MPA-PPPP48. Nighat Khan ASR/ IWSL49. Muhammad Imran Education Department50. Kanwal Naseem PML-Q

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51. Farzana Bibi PML-N52. Nasreen Nawaz PML-Q53. Amna Ulfat MPA-PML-Q54. Ruby Akhuwat55. Abdul Razzaq Dhillon MPA, Parliantary Secretary, Local

Government-Punjab56. Ch. Imran Ghumman Ex Nazim, Chairman, bait ul Mal,

Sargodha57. Amir Manzoor Lawyer58. Faisal Rayaz Daily Musawat59. Abdul Shakoor Sindhu RDPI60. Tailal Masood Development Practioner61. Azhar Lashari RDPI62. Bushra Khaliq WISE