The Institute of Management Sciences (IMS) held a seminar on "Local Government: Prospects and Problems in Pakistan" with a view to enhance an understanding about the Local Governance system in the masses. Hifz ur Rehman Secretary Local Government, Government of NWFP and Professor Dr Taj Muharrum, Chairman Political Science Department were the guests on the occasion.
Participants from all walks of life including media, NGOs, and a large number of students attended the seminar. Hifz ur Rehman shared his views about the prospects and problems of Local Governance in Pakistan. His presentation comprised of the basic rationale of local governance and its implementation in Pakistan. He explained the prerequisites of the local government system and elaborated the concept of devolution plan 2001.
According to him the main elements of the devolution were to transfer responsibilities and resources to the decentralised offices for the operations, management and control. He stressed the need of willingness to work under the framework of the system besides sharing the challenges faced by the LG system.
Dr Taj Muharrum emphasised on the utility and importance of local governance in the process of political development, consciousness and change by giving a historical and academic overview. "Local Governance is the institutional set up at the gross root level and these are the nurseries of the political system of development", he maintained, adding that for democratic culture in any society local government system is of great importance.
He said that many of the great and famous politicians in the sub-continent had started their careers from local government. He explained how different governments initiated the local governance system but could not use it properly because of various political reasons. He suggested that if the political commitment, agreement and consensus could be made possible it would help in a flourished future of the local governance system.