December 02, 2008	Tuesday	Zilhaj 3, 1429

HYDERABAD, Dec 1: Speakers at a public assembly termed the local bodies system as perfect but in need of few amendments in relevant laws.

They were speaking at the public assembly organised by the Bhitshah Declaration Coordination Council Sindh and South Asia Partnership (SAP). It was largely attended by the elected representatives of the people including women, social activists, haris and workers.

MPA Syed Bachal Shah said that the local bodies system had given representation to workers, haris and women and its main objective was to tackle all issues at local level and resolve the problems of people at their doorsteps.

The peoples’ government will not abolish this system but bring more improvements, the MPA said. He, however, conceded that there was a great margin for bringing about improvements in the system.

The manager SAP, Mr Sharjeel Ahmed said that this system had improved in resolving the problems of people at UC level and added that it could be further strengthened by amending the relevant law.

He said the income of UCs should be spent on the development of UCs and UC nazims given more powers.

The former chairman of the Taluka Nazims Alliance, Mr Ghulam Mustafa Khaskheli, stressed the need for bringing about amendments in the Local Government Ordinance 2001 as there was a margin of improvement in the said ordinance. He said the monitoring committees needed to be strengthened and empowered.

Adviser to the Sindh government and President Sindh Peoples Youth, Mr Aajiz Dhamrah said that the Peoples Party had always stood for peoples’ rights and added that since this system was aimed at resolving the problems of people at local level, therefore, the party would further strengthen it. He said that the party would give representation to genuine persons.

Provincial Coordinator of the Bhitshah Declaration Coordination Council Sindh, Lala Arshad said that the positive aspect of this system was that it had given representation to haris and women.

He regretted that in the name of haris and women, waderas were occupying the seats. He said the civil society and hari leaders should struggle for genuine representation to make the system effective.