Daniyal Aziz, Chairman, National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB), has said that Pakistan has taken major steps to strengthen democratic institutions, promote good governance, devolve political power and decentralise administrative and management functions to district level.
He said this addressing a "Forum on Re-investing Government in Asia" held in Seoul and sponsored by the UN and the Government of Republic of Korea, says a press release He said that the local governments at district, tehsil and union levels are operating within the provincial framework. The new Local Government System integrates the rural and urban local governments into one coherent structure in which the district administration and police are answerable to the elected representatives.
Daniyal also introduced the features of the new finance system including the provincial Finance Commission. The Local Government System recognises the right of the citizens to have information about the working of any office of the District Government, Tehsil, Town and Union Administration, he said.
Daniyal said that NRB has been in consultation with all stakeholders to identify the irritants in the implementation of local government and the law enforcement systems. A National Implementation Body has been constituted for this purpose, he informed.
NRB Chairman said that NRB, NCHD and Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment have entered into an agreement whereby the activities of the three institutions shall support each other efforts to consolidate the local government system improve the delivery of services particularly in the social sectors and empower the communities at the grassroots level to participate in the process of development.
Forum was attended by 21 countries including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Japan, Thailand and others. Daniyal Aziz represented Pakistan in the Forum.-PR