KARACHI: District govts to be given magisterial powers
By Habib Khan Ghori
KARACHI, Jan 27: Magisterial powers will be vested in district governments, through amendments to the Local Government Order 2001, to enable them to effectively check price increase and to deal with difficult law-and-order situations.
In addition to vesting magisterial powers in these governments, the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) is trying to resolve some other issues too, with a view to improving the local government system.
In this regard a draft of reforms, formulated by the NRB, is awaiting the approval of President Gen Pervez Musharraf. The said reforms were prepared in the light of recommendations forwarded by some local government institutions.
The reforms, it is learnt, are likely to be made public before the announcement of the schedule for local government elections. In the reforms, due attention had been paid to the suggestions submitted by all the stakeholders, some sources told Dawn.
In the reforms, the issue of confusion over the exercise of authority regarding administrative and financial matters and postings and transfers had been addressed, they claimed. In recent years, lack of capacity at the district government level as well as the provincial tier had emerged as a major area of concern.
Although some capacity-building programmes were undertaken recently but still there was a need for initiating a big capacity-enhancement programme for the functionaries as well as elected representatives, which required special funding.
Other matters which were taken into consideration included the need for a coordination tier at the Taluka level to remove a vacuum, which resulted in administrative chaos especially in terms of crisis management and provision of relief to the common man. At present this was difficult due to the over-centralization of functions at the district headquarter level.
The role of the police, in relation to law and order, had been reviewed in view of the complaints from district Nazims about non-cooperation by the district police officers, besides an increase in public complaints against police high-handedness.
The district government at present cannot boast of an adequate role in law-and-order affairs, enforcement of law and regulation of prisons due to a weak functional linkage with the police.
Another aspect which is likely to be addressed pertains to monitoring rules to ensure administrative and financial discipline because at present, under section 4 of the SLGO 2001, the local government has to carry out its functions under the provincial framework but absence of a clearly defined and professionally designed monitoring mechanism results in confusion and malpractice.
The establishment of development forums at the city, district, town and Taluka levels are likely to be included in the reforms which will have the representation of senators, MNAs and MPAs along with local government functionaries and Nazims, to ensure an effective coordination of activities at the district and Taluka levels and also to ensure a synergy between federal, provincial and local authorities.
A mechanism for coordination between federal departments and organizations and departments of the provincial government which are yet to be devolved is also likely to be included in the reforms because in the absence of an institutionalized arrangement, district authorities have been facing problems concerning federal wings and departments of the provincial government which remain to be devolved.
