LAHORE:Heads of local councils in Punjab are taking oath to their offices across the province on Saturday (today) amid claims by the opposition that the offices will mostly be “toothless” and “ceremonial” in the presence of many independent authorities on municipal tasks.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has tasked returning officers (ROs), district election commissioners in case ROs are unavailable, with administering oath to the winners of mayoral polls held on Dec 22.

The third tier of government in Punjab will become functional from Jan 2 after a gap of seven years. The PML-N government promises to give power and financial autonomy to the local councils under the Civil Administration Ordinance 2016 approved by the provincial cabinet here on Friday.

PTI vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who has also served as Multan district nazim under the previous law (Punjab Local Government Ordinance-2001), laments that “showpieces” are going to assume charge of their “powerless” local councils as the Shahbaz government has decided to run the system through bureaucracy.

The local representatives were empowered under Musharraf law when powers were devolved in real terms, says Mr Qureshi.

“The government, in fact, disenfranchised the local councils instead of empowering them.”

Naveed Chaudhry, a senior PPP leader and former local government commission member, asserts that the establishment of district education, health and other authorities is against the very concept of local governments.

“These are local bodies and not local governments as all financial, administrative and decision-making powers have been rested with deputy commissioners. Lacking even the powers to issue janam purchees (birth certificates) these bodies will just be waste of time and resources,” he says.

PML-Q MNA Tariq Bashir Cheema, ex-Bahawalpur district nazim, says the new system cannot be compared with the PLGO 2001 when district nazim would write the annual confidential report (ACR) of the DCO while now a deputy commissioner may suspend even the district council and turn down its approved budget.

Endorsing views of Mr Cheema, Mian Aslam Iqbal, a PTI MPA, bemoans that the Lahore DCO did not pay a courtesy call on the Lord Mayor-elect of Lahore and instead the latter called on the former.

Terming the new system against the spirit of Article 140-A of the Constitution, he hints that his party may challenge the new ordinance in courts.

TENURE: The local bodies are also facing an “uncertain” tenure. Clause 126 of the Local Government Act 2015 empowers the Punjab government to dissolve the bodies through a simple notification when general elections are announced.

Mian Aslam alleges the clause has been included with mala fide intention to dissolve the councils in case the opposition occupied them.

Mr Qureshi, however, says his party will seek dissolution of the bodies before the polls to avert rigging.

Both Mr Chaudhry and Mr Cheema, however, assert that there will be no use of getting the “toothless” and “ineffective” local bodies dissolved.

Published in Dawn December 31st, 2016