Mailing Address:
122 , Street No. 3
Officers Colony
Cavalry Grounds
Lahore Cantonment
Pakistan
Phone: + 92 42 6666404 - 6687827
E-mail:
jrc@syberwurx.com
| Local bodies and democratic development |
| Local bodies are an important
democratic institution that works at the grass-root level and provides
the people with a democratic base so that a democratic system could be
evolved up the hierarchy. The dialogue viewed that the local bodies institution
has been under-estimated and even our constitution is almost silent on
this important tier of democratic set up. It was discussed that where the
constitution demands fresh elections of national and provincial assemblies
within 90 days of their dissolution, there was no legal cover provided
to the local bodies, once they are dismissed.
About 95 per cent of the revenue collected by the local government is consumed in salaries of the administrative staff with nothing left for the developmental works. To get additional funds the local bodies representatives toe the line of the Chief Minister, setting aside their own duties. The provincial governments fund only those local bodies which stay in line with their policies. Such discriminatory policies of the provincial government provides the public with a lop-sided local bodies structure that eventually promotes regionalism. The parallel system of Khidmat Committees, introduced by the present government, was also discussed and was considered unable to deliver the people. The system was regarded against the norms of democracy as the members are not accountable to the people. A nominated group of persons that have been appointed without following any merit policy, could not be expected to perform the role of an elected assembly. |
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Mailing Address: 122 , Street No. 3 Officers Colony Cavalry Grounds Lahore Cantonment Pakistan Phone: + 92 42 6666404 - 6687827
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