Punjab and Sindh provinces are all set to adopt new local body systems with hopes that KP and Balochistan governments will follow suit sooner than later per SC instructions.
But the real catch in the emerging situation is that the country would end up embracing a ragtag local government system with all provinces going for different set ups dictated by vested interests and political expediencies, without showing any concern for the people who stand to benefit if powers are genuinely devolved to grass-root level.
The ECP earlier advised provinces to come up with a uniform system to avoid any confusion and achieve the ultimate results of a vibrant local body system. But it was easier said than done.
Here the onus of achieving some common ground rests with the federal government. The ministry of Inter-provincial Coordination had a big role to play but Federal Minister Riaz Pirzaida is nowhere to be seen, let alone emerging as a focal person for coordinating between the provinces.
The ministry could have engaged the provinces on the kind of system the country needed right now.
Ideally, the federal government should have distributed among the provinces a model of LG system with a request to follow it without stepping on the toes of the provinces. Or at least it could share some basic guidelines with the provinces, suggesting a common system above political expediencies.
But the federal government lost the initiative when it could have done a lot.
In the Punjab, the PML-N government is all-out for non-party elections, while Sindh chooses to hold party-based elections. Other provinces are following a wait and see policy.
The federal government could lead from front in efforts to evolve consensus among provinces on two broad issues concerning the LG system.
It could engage the provinces to decide unanimously whether to hold party or non-party election. All opposition parties in Punjab were not ready to accept polls under non-party system. It seems the PPP, PTI and PML-Q are getting their acts together against the bill that the Punjab government is set to adopt.
There basic objection is towards the mode of elections. It is expected that the Punjab Assembly will adopt the bill in a day or two whether liked by the opposition or not.
Second, the federal government could have sought the opinion of provinces on what kind system suited the country given the myriad of challenges, especially the challenge of good governance.
In Punjab, opposition parties have outright rejected the government-sponsored draft bill. They believe that the new law would introduce a local government system quite meaningless with local representatives having no power whatsoever.
They foresee real power being shifted to executives to be wielded by chief minister and legislatures through district and provincial bureaucracy.
The new law does not devolve financial and administrative powers to local councils. Even the system of Provincial Award Commission mandated to finalise a formula for the distribution of funds among districts have been done away with in the new system.
Again, Zila Council chairman or municipal corporation could be removed by the chief minister on a mere complaint and without any no-confidence move.
The power of the chief minister to remove a local body head is too much for the opposition parties to digest. Hence, protest is very much on the cards.
Now it is time for Supreme Court to give clear and fair direction to the Federal and Provincial Government the model of Local Body election which should give power to the citizens rather than to the provincial ministers to play with the budget
It should also advise a uniform law rather than different provinces adopt law according to their wishes
Supreme Court act now!!!!!!!!!!
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