January 23, 2002	Wednesday	Ziqa'ad 8, 1422

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 22: Chief Executive Committee on Devolution on Tuesday met for the first time to review the implementation of devolution plan and progress of district governments installed in August last year.

The committee meeting, presided over by President Gen Pervez Musharraf, was attended by all the four provincial governors, corps commanders of relevant corps, Chairman National Reconstruction Bureau Lt-Gen (retd) Tanvir Hussain Naqvi, and members and think tanks of NRB.

The review of the implementation of the devolution plan was the only point on the agenda of Tuesday’s meeting, a source said.

The meeting was apprised that government’s preoccupation in the wake of Sept 11 terrorist attacks had caused a deep feeling of alienation among the elected representatives of the newly constituted district governments.

President Musharraf reaffirmed the government’s resolve to strengthen the system of district governments, which had been designed with the avowed objectives of making people masters of their own destiny.

The president directed the provincial governors to take all the necessary steps to encourage newly elected members of tehsil councils and district councils by involving them in the developmental activities of their respective areas.

The meeting noted that the system of district governments had failed to make any impact and resolve the mundane problems being faced by the general public, a source said.

APP ADDS: President Musharraf also emphasized the need for an effective implementation of financial and administrative devolution.

“The devolution process must travel down to tehsil, union council and the villages in the true spirit of the plan,” he said.

The meeting was informed that 96 districts governments were put in place. Furthermore, 307 tehsil councils, 3,030 town councils and 6,022 union councils had been established in the country under the devolution of power plan.

It was also informed that 50 per cent of the Devolution Transition Fund totalling Rs3 billion had already been transferred to the provinces while the balance was being transferred this month to facilitate the transition process.

The meeting was informed that the law for the establishment of Provincial Prosecution Service as part of the police reforms had been drafted and sent to the provinces for an enactment.

Gen Musharraf said fiscal transfers from district to tehsils must take place expeditiously, district public safety commissions must be on the ground as soon as possible.

The President also directed the provinces to take immediate steps for implementation of the provisions of the Police Ordinance, 2002, and also undertake consequential amendments to other laws and rules to facilitate and strengthen the local government institutions.