Seeking detailed report from the federal and Balochistan governments about current status of devolution of power and volume of transfer of funds to the local government of the province and in cantonment areas on Wednesday the Supreme Court expressed dismay over delay in functioning of Local Bodies (LB) system in the country.
A three-member bench of the Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali resumed the hearing of a contempt plea filed against Prime Minister over disobeying the court's directives for holding LB polls in cantonment areas of the country. Filing the plea, the petitioner Raja Rub Nawaz submitted that despite holding the LB elections the provincial governments were still reluctant to empower the local governments saying elected representatives were not allotted offices. Nawaz pleaded and termed it as a severe violation of the Article 140-A of the Constitution by the federal and provincial governments.
During the course of proceedings, a member of the bench Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh questioned as to why the provincial governments were reluctant to transfer the powers to the local governments, observing that work of one year is being done in three years. Appearing before the court, Additional Advocate General Balochistan Ayaz Swati informed that a total of Rs 12 billion were released to the local governments of the province whereas five billion rupees have been disbursed for Metropolitan Corporation Quetta.
However, the counsel for Mayor of Quetta' apprised the bench that such funds were released for the salaries of the employees whereas the Metropolitan is out of development fund. Top law officers of the Punjab and Sindh submitted that after completion of the election process, financial and administrative powers would be transferred to the local governments. Later, hearing of the matter was adjourned till June 2.