Local government system: 'responsibility lies with provinces to legislate'

It is prime responsibility of provincial governments to legislate as per need of the citizens and develop a local government system in their respective areas to cater the basic needs of the people. PML-N MNA Daniyal Aziz said on Tuesday while addressing a seminar titled "Citizens' Engagement and Accountability for an Effective Local Government System." This was organised by Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment (DTCE) with the support by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Citizens' Voice Project.
Aziz said that the administrative, financial and political powers should be devolved from federal to provincial and provincial to local level. He also cited that after the passage of 18th Amendment it is now the prime responsibility of provincial governments to legislate as per the need of the citizens.
"Pakistan cannot progress until the colonial system of bureaucracy should replace with a people friendly LG system where citizens are involved in decision making processes and local government representatives are made responsible for service delivery," he said. "Governance at the lowest tier of government is the only process for prosperity of a country," he added.
PTI MNA Shehriyar Afirdi admitted the fact that grass root level development work is not the responsibility of MNAs and MPAs as their main role is legislation. He said that there should be performance based competition between the political parties rather than criticising each other on non issues.
He said that KP government has articulated a financially empowered local government system which is ensuring development funds to the village and neighbourhood councils at grass root level PML-N MNA Tariq Fazal Chaudhry gave deliberation on the importance of local governments. He said that there is a dire need of local governments which should be empowered and effective to deliver at the grass root level.
He added that LG Act for the capital has been also passed by the Parliament and now the government is going to hold election in complete Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) for the first time in the history of Pakistan. Hasan Muhammad Khan, secretary (Retd) Election Commission of Pakistan said that after the passage of 18th amendment and various rulings of supreme court of Pakistan, the role of election commission is very important. He also said that there is a lack of co-ordination, and co-operation between provincial governments and election commission and it is one of the major reasons for delayed LG election in Punjab and Sindh. People from different walks of life participated in the seminar including members of political parties, donor community, civil society and NGOs.