PESHAWAR, Feb 5: Participants of a day-long consultative session have expressed concern over what they called the deteriorating law and order situation in parts of the NWFP which has increased security risk for local partners of NGOs working on different projects in the province.

Organised by the NWFP chapter of the South Asia Partnership (SAP) here on Monday, the consultative session was attended by representatives of various NGOs, lawyers, mediapersons and other segments of civil society with a view to eliciting feedback on varous issues.

“It was due to the poor law and order situation that the Bunnu District Resource Centre of the SAP-Pakistan, an organisation working in 102 districts of the country for peace and justice, democracy and sustainable development, remained closed for sometime,” said Zakiya Arshad, manager of Strengthening Democratic Governance in Pakistan (SDGP), a project of the SAP-NWFP.

A participant from Kohat seconded these views, saying: “Local partner organisations of NGOs are faced with security risks. The staff of these organisations have been receiving envelops containing Rs500 and a note, threatening them to buy coffin for themselves.”

Ms Arshad said the activities of the NGOs were discouraged in rural areas, and local governments too did not provide support to people.

“Offices of union councils are often closed and people remain devoid of help or counselling on their problems,” she said, adding that the representation of women councillors was almost zero and their male relatives attend union council meetings on their behalf.

She said despite all odds, the SAP was doing its best to enable peasants and rural women to be a part of governance in an effective way “which is the main focus of the SDGP.”

Speaking on the occasion, SDGP project coordinator Nusrat Ara said that SAP had set up a provincial advisory group, comprising people from various walks of life, for getting suggestions and support aimed at strengthening governance in the province. Another such group would be set up at the national level, she added.

There were hurdles like resistance from mainstream political parties who were against local government system; poor law and order situation in some districts where the project was being implemented; and lack of women representation, she said.

Ms Ara said in the first three years, the project would focus on promoting pro-poor policies and plans through local government system.

Other participants of the meeting suggested that people were concerned about peace and security in the region.

They urged SAP to initiate employment-oriented schemes for the youth who were being misused by elements with vested interest for deteriorating law and order situation.