Leading civil society organizations have called for a robust local government system in the country to ensure healthy democratic discourse through political, administrative, and financial autonomy.
These stakeholders expressed these views during a planning meeting organized under the aegis of Pakistan Development Alliance, led by AwazCDS-Pakistan, Islamabad along with Legal Rights Forum (LRF), Sindh; UGOOD, Islamabad; HOME Net, Punjab; HARD, Balochistan; Blue Veins from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In order to discuss autonomy of the local governments system in the country.
Addressing to the participants, Chief Executive of AwazCDS-Pakistan Zia ur Rehman highlighted the challenges of democratic unrest and polarization in the country. He said that there is a dire need to amend Article 140-A of the Constitution of Pakistan so as each province in its jurisdiction and the federal government in Islamabad and the Cantonments shall establish a local government system and devolve political and administrative powers.
Adv Malik Tahir Iqbal, Chief Executive Officer, Legal Rights Forum, Sindh, he shared that almost all the major political parties have committed enhanced political, administrative, and financial autonomy for local governments in their manifestoes of recent general elections in 2024. The time has come that political leadership and the Parliament abide the commitment they made. He also highlighted the need for capacity strengthening of local counsellors and local government authorities for a more functional local government system in Sindh. He praised the role of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation for their cleanliness, clean drinking water, sanitation drives in the recent times.
In his remarks, Chief Executive Officer of UGOOD Islamabad, Syed Ishtiaq Gillani, said that the local government system in federal capital is confusing as Capital Development Authority is not willing to share their powers therefore people of federal capital are badly suffering.
Humera Malik, Program Manager, HomeNet Punjab, called for an inclusive local governance system to ensure the representation of all marginalized groups including women, older people, minorities, youth, and labourers.
Zia Ullah Khan Team Lead, HARD Balochistan, shared that Quetta is the only district in Balochistan that has no local government whereas the local bodies elections in rest of the districts in Balochistan were held last year. However, the distribution of resources among different districts are highly discriminatory and not through any provincial finance commission award.
Qamar Naseem, Program Manager, Blue Veins from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said that the political mandate of local government is not fully explored yet in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the provincial assembly is not willing to shed its powers.
Marium Amjad Khan, Program Team Lead, AwazCDS-Pakistan, shared that they would continue efforts to build the understanding of Parliamentarians and other stakeholders on the importance of empowered local government system .
