Dysfunctional LGs
At present Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have up and running LGs, though sans the necessary administrative and financial powers. Notably, the law calls on the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold elections within 120 days of the expiry of outgoing local bodies' terms in a province, cantonment, or the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). The term of these bodies in Punjab expired on December 31, 2021; and that of ICT on February 14 of the same year. Four years on, authorities both in Islamabad and Lahore show no sign of holding the elections they have kept delaying on one pretext or the other, with the ECP playing along. In fact, they are unlikely to go for the LG polls in the foreseeable future for fear of losing to the main opposition party, the PTI. Although the other provinces have fulfilled this legal formality, they stay persistent on controlling political and administrative powers from top to down. All political parties ruling in the provinces zealously guard the autonomy the 18th Amendment grants them, but refuse to cede or even share power with the people's representatives at the grassroots level. LGs lack the ability to raise their own revenue, and hence are heavily dependent on allocations made by provincial authorities. That leaves them without resources for addressing local needs, such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, etc., at local level. Thus is effectively being negated the very purpose of local governments.
As noted earlier, inordinate delays in holding elections, almost always due to political considerations, deprive citizens of the right to participate in grassroots democracy and seek redress of local problems at the local level. It is imperative therefore that civil society groups play a beneficial role in this regard, ensuring schedule for LG elections in Punjab and ICT is announced without any further ifs and buts. And the provincial governments ought to be pressed not only to decentralise administrative powers but also replicate the National Finance Commission resource distribution formula at the third tier of government, failing which participatory development dream will remain unfulfilled.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
7 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Railways set for major overhaul
Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi on Wednesday outlined a comprehensive roadmap to revamp Pakistan Railways, saying that transformational progress was already underway despite limited resources. Responding to legislators' queries during the National Assembly's question-hour session, he said that passenger amenities had been substantially upgraded at major stations, including Rawalpindi City, Cantt, Raiwind, Khanewal and Multan, now aligned with modern standards for cleanliness, restroom facilities and waiting areas. He added that a state-of-the-art upgraded station was set to be inaugurated in Karachi on September 10, modelled after recent upgrades in Lahore. Stations in Hyderabad, Sukkur and Faisalabad would follow suit on September 30, with the full transformation of all major stations targeted for completion by December 31, 2025, and all smaller stations by June 2026. "We are committed to offering international-standard services to every class of passenger – economy, business and VIP, and I guarantee the facilities will match those seen in developed countries," Abbasi stated. On freight services, the minister noted that despite a shortage of rolling stock and wagons, Pakistan Railways had managed to operate an efficient nationwide cargo network originating from Sindh, generating significant revenue in the past year. "Freight is the backbone of rail systems worldwide. We're now moving toward a turnaround in this segment as well," he affirmed. Abbasi further said that the Narowal section had resumed operations after a 12-year hiatus, and the Musa Pak Express had been revived from Multan. Collaborations with the governments of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan were underway to uplift and restore additional routes. "We're working on agreements with Sindh to restore discontinued routes, and discussions are ongoing with CM Sindh this month. Similar cooperation with Balochistan has enabled a 50km uplift from Sheikh Zaid to Kuchlak," he said. When he assumed office, Abbasi said, he had focused on three key service areas: punctuality, cleanliness, and food quality. He noted that the efforts had yielded measurable improvements, with punctuality now reaching 90 to 95 per cent on certain routes such as Lahore-Rawalpindi. Addressing a question on mass transit, the minister clarified that Pakistan Railways was not directly involved in projects like the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) or Lahore Metro, as such initiatives had fallen under provincial jurisdiction after the 18th Amendment. However, he added, the ministry was available to extend technical support when requested. In a landmark development, Abbasi highlighted progress on the transnational rail link from Kohat to Mazar-i-Sharif via Kharlachi. The project, part of the regional connectivity initiative envisioned during the PDM government, had seen diplomatic and technical advances, including a trilateral signing ceremony in Kabul with Afghan and Uzbek counterparts. "The 850-km link to Central Asia, with an existing 75-km track inside Uzbekistan, will be a game-changer. A feasibility study will be completed by December 31 this year," he announced. "We've already allocated $5 million, matched by Uzbekistan, while Afghanistan has assured full security for the route." Abbasi revealed that the Karachi-Rohri section (480 km) was nearing final agreement with a financial institution, while the Lahore-Rawalpindi segment — also part of ML-1 — had received a Rs250 billion allocation in Punjab's budget. "The groundwork for Karachi-Rohri and Lahore-Rawalpindi is expected to begin next year," he added, noting that negotiations for the remaining segments were ongoing with multiple stakeholders. He said that the most modern station in the 77-year history of Pakistan Railways would be inaugurated in Karachi on September 10.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
PHC puts pause on naming new opp leaders
Listen to article The provincial high court in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) has stopped the upper and lower houses of parliament from appointing new leaders of opposition in view of the conviction, de-seating and de-notification of the previous ones — PTI's Shibli Faraz and Omar Ayub. A division bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Dr Khurshid Iqbal issued this order on Tuesday while hearing petitions filed on behalf of Shibli and Omar by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan. An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad on July 31 convicted over hundred PTI leaders and workers including Shibli Faraz and Omar Ayub in a May 9, 2023 case, sentencing them to ten years in prison. The Election Commission of Pakistan, taking suo motu notice of the conviction, disqualified the PTI leaders on August 5. Later, on August 7, the National Assembly speaker, Ayaz Sadiq, also issued a notification de-notifying Omar and declaring the seat vacant. The Senate Secretariat on August 8 also issued a notification, stating that Faraz's disqualification on August 5 had resulted in the loss of both his Senate membership and his position as leader of the opposition in the upper house. The PTI challenged these notifications. Appearing at the PHC on Tuesday, Barrister Gohar said they had filed separate petitions against the de-notification of the leaders of opposition in the National Assembly and the Senate. He argued that the leader of the opposition is a constitutional post, chosen under Assembly Rule 39. He said once a member is elected to the National Assembly, the ECP's role ends. He referred to a Supreme Court ruling stating that the ECP cannot disqualify a member without a speaker's reference. He called May 9 an unfortunate incident that should not have happened. The PTI chairman said earlier the ECP also disqualified PTI's Abdul Latif from NA-1 Chitral by wrongly citing the Azhar Siddique case. 'We won 180 seats, entered parliament with 90, and now only 77 remain. We are proud of Omar Ayub, who received the votes of 30 million people,' he added. He alleged that the government now wants to bring an opposition leader from another party. 'Without a speaker's reference, the ECP disqualified the PTI leaders. The court should order that no further action be taken,' he said. After the conclusion of arguments, Justice Ali said the court is granting a stay order on the PTI's request. The bench later halted the appointment of new opposition leaders in both the National Assembly and the Senate. It also issued notices to the ECP and other respondents, seeking a reply by August 15. In its written order, the court stated that no appointment of a new leader of the opposition in the National Assembly should be made until the next hearing. It said the petitioner cited the Muhammad Azhar Siddique vs Federation case, where the Supreme Court held that the ECP cannot disqualify a member without a speaker's reference. The petitioner further claimed that the ECP misinterpreted the SC decision and that appointing an opposition leader from another party would be against parliamentary norms, as their party still has the largest number of opposition members, it added. The PHC, in its written order, issued notices to the respondents to appear on August 20 and directed that no further action be taken on the August 7 notification until then.
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
27th Amendment ‘on the cards'?: Bilawal dismisses ‘baseless rumours'
KARACHI: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday dismissed talk of any potential legislation regarding a 27th constitutional amendment as 'baseless rumours'. Speaking to reporters in Hyderabad about the matter, Bilawal addressed the 'baseless rumours', stating: 'So far, no federal minister, prime minister or party member has approached me regarding any amendments.' He also highlighted that the 26th Amendment was passed after reaching a consensus with compromise from political parties. 'PPP wanted constitutional courts, but we compromised,' he said. In a post on X, the PPP quoted him as saying, 'The 26th Constitutional Amendment is an eternal success. Judicial reforms and constitutional courts were a demand of the Charter of Democracy, but we prioritised a constitutional bench over a constitutional court for the sake of consensus.' Though the speculations are rife, there has been no official word regarding the 27th Constitutional Amendment. At present, the proposal to further reform the judiciary is at a very initial stage, but consultations are reportedly underway within the ruling PML-N and some legal circles. Despite these purported consultations, any draft for this proposed bill has yet to see the light of day. While responding to a question about amending the National Finance Commission (NFC) award, Bilawal said, 'Absolutely. Further changes must come in NFC.' He continued, 'The previous NFC award was given before passing the 18th Amendment, which was before 2010.' He said that various responsibilities of the federal government were handed to the provinces, adding, 'But the NFC is the same as it was prior to the 18th Amendment.' The PPP chairman continued, 'The Constitution says that the NFC award must be regularly given after five years. It is already mentioned that the shares of provincial governments cannot be reduced in new NFC awards.' 'All provinces must be given more resources as per the increased responsibilities after the 18th Amendment.' He added, 'We must immediately call NFC and give new awards. All provinces must be given resources according to the 18th Amendment.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
