Govt urged to empower LB representatives for serving masses at grass-root level

The newly-elected Local Body (LB) representatives have urged both the federal and provincial governments for empowering them as per the constitution and provincial governments’ acts for smooth service delivery to the masses at grass-root level.

The LB elections were held for the first time in the history of the country under any democratic government for devolving political, administrative and financial powers to the elected representatives at local level. However, the representatives were anxiously waiting for setting up offices at the Union council, village, and tehsil and district level for serving masses.

The prime objective of establishing local government system was to promote good governance, effective delivery of services and transparent decision making through institutionalized participation of the people at local level.

Village Council Nazim Sawal Dher-1, district Mardan, Jamsheed Khan Khattak said, “The federal government should issue directives to the provincial government for implementation of the LB Act 2013 in KP for smooth public service delivery.” The whole purpose of LB election will become null and void if the elected representatives remain powerless, he added.

The LG institutions were composed of elected representatives having special representation of peasants, workers, women, minorities and youth.

Talking to APP, Taimoor Iqbal Jadoon, Islamabad based working journalist, said “The local body system should be made functional at its earliest as per promises made by the provincial and federal governments prior to LB elections with the masses.”

The members of national and provincial assemblies need to focus on legislation while the LB representatives should be empowered for carrying out developmental projects in their respective areas, he added.

When contacted, Additional Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Fida Muhammad Khan said, “The ECP has got nothing to do with power distribution to the elected representatives of LB elections.”

The only responsibility of ECP was to conduct free, fair and transparent elections in the country, he added.

Another official of ECP said, “The commission has no centralized data about the total number of LB elected members of the country.” It is totally a provincial subject to distribute power and funds, and setting up offices for them, he added.