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| July 8, 2005 | Friday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 30, 1426 |
Local bodies system ‘a failure’
LAHORE, July 7: The union councils that are the basic units of the new local government system have no powers whatsoever and failed to deliver. This is the outcome of a survey conducted by the South Asian Partnership (Pakistan) in 18 districts of the Punjab by holding a series of seminars, symposia, meetings and discussions with the members of the union councils and other tiers of the new local government system, representatives of the people, teachers, social workers, journalists, lawyers, women activists and minority members. The report deals with the working of three years of union councils in 18 districts of Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Layyah, Bhakkar, Rajanpur, Pakpattan, Vehari, Lodhran, Multan, Sahiwal, Khanewal, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Mianwali and Sargodha. Questionnaires were distributed among people for discussions with the SAP teams and as subject of debates at seminars and meetings. Questions were asked about working and powers of the union councils, consequences of keeping away political parties from elections; whether decisions were made in consultation with council members; whether new multi word system was better than before; whether the opposition has any role to play in local bodies; whether a large number of women, minority people, peasants and workers elected to union councils have been allowed to work freely and any measures taken to solve their problems; whether the administration cooperated with the councillors; whether minority councillors were treated well and any steps were taken to remove their doubts and apprehensions; whether joint electorates system should be introduced for the minorities in local bodies?
After holding discussions at various forums the SAP prepared a report based on the observations its teams had formed along with the suggestions and recommendations to improve the system to make it worthwhile and meet the requirements of the local government ordinance issued in 2000.
The report points out various shortcomings and weaknesses of the new local government system and appreciates that a good beginning has been made and that the system can be further improve in consultations with various groups of people. As compared with the working of the previous council the new ones have definitely shown improvement in providing civic amenities like roads, streets, sanitation, water and power supply, etc. It has provided a basis for good governance and enlightenment.
The report made the following observations based on the investigations by SAP teams after holding discussions and debates with the councillors and other sections of the people: Powers of union councils: Contrary to the local government ordinance that gives wide powers to the union councils they have been found lacking all powers. They are given no funds to remove the grievances of the people. Each council is given Rs60,000 per month that is spent on administration, salaries and honorarium for the nazims. The council has neither powers nor funds to meet the demands of its voters. Nazims have some powers and funds which they distribute among the councillors of their choice. Most of the councillors feel ashamed of being councillors and felt they had committed blunder.
Party based election: The local government bars political parties from participating in the local bodies elections which has kept away the experienced political workers from the councils. The investigating teams have received conflicting views on the question of allowing political parties to participate in the elections. In their absence there has been no vigilance upon the working of the councillors. The opponents of the political parties thought that the parties, if allowed to contest elections, would interfere in the autonomy of the local bodies.
Lack of publicity: The new local government system was a new experience both for the people and their candidates and the government had failed to give due publicity through media and other means that could educate them. As a result the councillors had little information about their role and working. Justice (Insaf) committees chairman said the people were not aware of the existence of these committees nor had they any information about their powers and the people still approach the influential land holders to decide their disputes.
Decision making: Decisions are not made in union councils taking their members into confidence and all decisions are taken by nazims and their deputies arbitrarily. The councillors feel that the new local bodies system is more a system of nazims that the people’s system. It has strengthened the hands of big landlords.
No confidence: The amendment to the law against no confidence move against nazims had been severely criticized. It was strange that no confidence can be moved against deputy nazim. The councillors have demanded that they should have powers to move no confidence against nazims and their deputies to bar them from taking decisions without taking them into confidence.
Development works: The nazims have not been taking councillors into confidence while taking decisions for starting development projects. Most of the projects were not needed by the people and they were started at the behest of high ups.
Multi-ward system: Most of the councillors said numerous problems of the people had arisen by merging wards into a union council. They advocated restoration of old wards to solve the problems of the people.
Workers and peasants: Most of the seats reserved for workers and peasants have been filled by people who were neither workers nor peasants. Only five per cent of the seats might have genuine representatives and they have no powers.
Relations with government: National and provincial assemblies are not completely in favour of the new local government system. There is no coordination among union, tehsil and district councils. The powers of the district, provincial and federal government in respect of the local councils are vague.
Public safety commissions: They are not performing their role of checks and balances properly and nobody knows about their powers. Police have not accepted them and register cases against their members.
Minority councillors: While the government has accepted the principle of joint electorates, the local bodies elections were held on the basis of separate electorates depriving minorities of their real representation in the councils. Discrimination against them continues and they cannot play their role in political process. The majority members invariably reject their schemes and suggestions.
Only two union councils in Sheikhupura and Khanewal districts out of about three dozens districts have nazims from minority councillors.
The report has also made a number of recommendations to improve the performance of the union, tehsil and district councils and their various committees. It suggested renaming tehsil council as city council and restoration of magistracy at tehsil level.
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