Even though the constitution allows the provincial governments to adopt any sort of local government system, the political parties have expressed their doubts regarding the two different forms adopted by the PPP in Balochistan and Sindh.
ANP also wants to implement a different system in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where it rules single-handedly. A thorough analysis reflects that though the ANP is voicing its concern over the restoration of district government system in Sindh and wants the government to impose the Commissionerate system there, its own party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has still not scrapped the Musharraf-introduced system.
The Punjab government has already reversed the local government system and brought the Commissionerate system back, empowering bureaucracy by taking back authority from the people’s representatives. Talking to Pakistan Today, Senator SM Zafar said the constitution allows every province to form its own local government system as per its demands. “Every province has particular requirements and they can design their own models of local government,” he said.
He said Musharraf’s introduced local government system was better than 1979 local government structure. “Under Local Government Ordinance 2001, power rests with the elected people while the older system had given full authorities to bureaucrats,” SM Zafar added.
Another prominent lawyer, Khalid Ranjha said that every province could introduce its own local government system according to its requirements. He said different local government systems in various provinces were no harm to national harmony.
Meanwhile, KP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain also said on Monday that the KP government was in favour of the Commissionerate system and would restore it soon.
