democracy a barrier

8/9/2019 Democracy a Barrier

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Seething Democratic GovernmentBy Waseem Ashraf

There are no magic answers, no miraculous methods to overcome the problems we face,

just the familiar ones: honest search for understanding, education, organization, action

that raises the cost of state violence for its perpetrators or that lays the basis forinstitutional change -- and the kind of commitment that will persist despite the

temptations of disillusionment, despite many failures and only limited successes, inspiredby the hope of a brighter future (Noam Chomsky), the country wide protests forcontinuation of Local Government system is giving hope for a new political landscape in

Pakistan.

It was Second quarter of the year 2001 when an effort was made to create LocalGovernment in Pakistan and people were talking about new system, having hopes and

feeling, confident and enthusiastic as a part of process for decentralization in a

democratic way. Why were people so confident? The reason was consultation and their

involvement in the process and role in creating local governments with a vision, a right todevelop and self-governance with an opportunity for empowerment. Local Government

Ordinance 2001 was promulgated, elections held and people, who were annoyed with oldsystems hide and seek of democracy and martial law, participated and elected. It was

time when more than 125,000 in 2001 and 84000 in 2005 people were elected from all

segments of life and became the part of local governments to serve and perform.

We are in 2009, but second quarter is witnessing denigration of a significant feature of

Pakistans political landscape the same Local Governments, heated debates are going on

to scrap it. Two schools of thought can be clearly marked as opponents the ruling classand exponent people. Its difficult to equate both as former are powerful and latter have

unheard voice, because ruling party has one point agenda to replace local governmentsystem with local bodies and pushing us 30 years back under Local Government Act2009 including separation of the rural and urban areas of cities, re-introduction of

municipal corporations and district councils, and giving only municipal functions to them

so as to return administrative powers to the official machinery, to be headed either by adeputy commissioner or DCO (structure not clearly defined, presumably Deputy

Commissioners because commissioners office is already established). In 1947 the areas

that constituted Pakistan had few developed systems of local government and they were

confined mainly to Punjab. Wherever local government existed, it was not based on adultfranchise and its agenda and budget was under severe bureaucratic control of the Deputy

Commissioner who played a critical role in determining its policy, where would we be

standing? Three convention attended by thousands of people from all walk of lifesignificantly depicting a new political thought among people who wants to participate in

the affairs of country by saving local governments from civilian PCO and 58-2B by

introducing a new form Charter of Democracy introduced by Mr. Daniyal Aziz.

The antagonists have a few arguments to prove this system adverse, for example, the

system was introduced by a dictator & Army General, massive corruption, noaccountability, lack of control and coordination with the provincial government and


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duplication of departments, the system did not deliver as it is a parallel system etc. As per

against these arguments the dictator has neither appointed any army officer nor motivated

them to contest election as Nazim or councilor; they all were civilian elected by peoplefrom their respective constituencies and it happened twice in last eight years. If

government has evidences of corruption they should take action against the corrupt,

Local Government Ordinance 2001 has very elaborative system for monitoring,accountability and internal control under section 131 to 140. These should be stimulated

to make necessary amendments. Its not a parallel system; it is the third tier of the

government and is the most important level of government close to people. Its policiesand programs have impact on residents, workers, and visitors on a daily basis. It is not

detached form provincial government as its link is defined in section 127 & 128.

Regardless of flaws or criticism on this system people are still satisfied with it because ithas delivered goods. This system served as a political nursery in its real sense, if we

analyze results of general elections held in 2002 and 2008, respectively 21% and more

than 40% MNAs and MPAs respectively were either Nazims and councilors or their

relatives. It has created an emerging cadre of non-traditional and potential leadershipwhich is viewed as imminent threat to traditional leaders who want to rule over this

county through their dynasty as their legal heir. Erstwhile local governmentrepresentatives and now MPA/ MNAs won elections because they were close to people

and had performed well. They are product of this system but they are silent on this issue,

why? I wonder, this silence is significant and we have to find out its answer.

This system gave a right of development to people under section 93 to 106 and 119 that

enunciates bottom up planning process. A common man has a right to participate through

formation of Citizen Community Boards, Village and Neighbourhood councils and otherforums. From a community development perspective, as the social capital of

communities grows, so should their desire and capacity to take more control of their

future, with less dependence / reliance on government as the driver or instigator ofprojects and initiatives. Resultantly, there are more than 35000 CCBs in Pakistan which

have contributed about one billion rupee as their share in public development schemes.

There are about 1000 VNCs who started working at grassroots level and creating linkwith three tiers of Local Government. We have experienced good results by creating

Anjuman Musalihat Committees which has lessened the burden of courts because plenty

of trivial cases used to be registered in courts. In every council, members are assigned

responsibility to monitor by forming committees their functionality remained in question but mechanism exists. Provincial Governments are spending a lot of money but are

unable to create any impact regarding Police Community relations and improving Thana

culture. On the other hand, in different district such as Haripur and Lasbela Union PublicSafety Committees performed very well and demonstrated ability to improve Police

Community Relations with fewer resources. The other experience is computerization of

police record in four districts (Lasbela, Narowal, Haripur and Khairpur). It gave amazingresults as Police Station Monitoring Information System helped DPOs to know about

total strengths and crime trends and other useful information to improve community

policing and control crime by aligning strategy for crime prevention. In eight years we

have seen infrastructure development, TMAs have provided services to people, and


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things became easier for them as elected representatives were accessible and answerable

to public due to their roots and presence in the area. Regarding district government

performance it is visible though they were not given full power by provincialgovernments. More than 5000 government officials from all departments were trained

which increased efficiency and introduced incentive system especially in education

sector. It also improved performance of officials in many districts; a large number of civilsociety organizations were involved in the process and they assisted in different

programs. Interaction and networking of elected representatives improved inter-

provincial coordination and harmony and formation of Local Council Association isanother achievement that endorsed and strengthened right based democratic process and

nurtured norms and values in the system. Provinces have less opportunity to participate in

main stream of politics; this system has provided people of Balochistan and NWFP to

participate in main stream of politics.

Distantly, there are some grey areas of this system which inexorably require

improvements. It can be done through a consultative process with all stakeholders but not

in slapdash demeanor. People are annoyed with democratic governments of two major parties because they do not come up to expectation of people. Moreover; they are

depriving people of their right for development and self-governance. There is mumblingon this unpopular decision by the Prime Minister who is ready to watch Government of

Punjabs interest not giving due consideration to people of Pakistans aspirations. It is not

judicious to settle political ties on the cost of peoples aspiration. I still doubt the basis of

unanimity of provinces on this issue, they might be misled too. Balochistan and NWFPshould deliberate on it, instead of following blindly the same document that might be

prepared by one of the most experienced Baboo, a section officer in an old room of Local

Government Department and Rural Development. Noam Chomsky wrote The most

effective way to restrict democracy is to transfer decision-making from the public arena

to unaccountable institutions: kings and princes, priestly castes, military juntas, partydictatorships, or modern corporations, it seems case as Provinces are going to decidethe type of system they want.

Furthermore, heated debate on media has shockingly exposed the curators of new localbody system; they are having important portfolios in government but their discussions

were without visions, full of misunderstanding and bigotry and lack of knowledge about

the system ascertaining to a personal vendetta. The irony of fate is that the sitting Local

Government Minister was once champion of rights of representative of LocalGovernment and campaigner of the system is now behaving like Brutus. Unfortunate we

are when Law Ministers from Punjab and Sindh showed oblivious attitude and denied

about proposed Act 2009 that was discussed in cabinet, and would be enacted afterdebate in provincial assembly that shudders to visualize people like Shumaila Rana, Haji

Rafiq, Ch. Ghafoor and Gill sitting in assemblies and they will decide the fate of people.

PPP and PML (N) leadership should also examine and analyze shallow statements andpolitical short-sightedness of proponent of new system who have no line of reasoning

otherwise; it would be a quagmire as we are hearing mumbling and uproar from civil

society of Pakistan which is vibrant and initiated Save the Local Government

Movement from Lahore while holding a press conference. It has become a vital case


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Local Government vs. Civilian Government and political parties have put it on their

agenda with the support of media. It is playing very vital role in supporting the voiceless

to give them voice for their rights. It is media which has unveiled intellectual insolvencyof our leadership and decision-makers.

During the political government, legislators want absolute power especially overmonetary affairs. Bureaucracy finds these legislators a fine scapegoat and legislators are

willingly like and are at ease on this arrangement, as we have noticed that provincial

finance minister Punjab has given powers to Commissioners to approve and implementthe development schemes of MPAs/ MNAs, instead that the petty development tasks are

maintained by the local government. Legislators and bureaucrats take it as their right to

spend money on sanitation, drainage and roads. The newly established power of judiciary

has very subtly, pointed out the legislatures are not legislating therefore, judiciary hassent some 59 ordinances to parliament to debate and decide. They should frame laws,

concentrate on putting the country to right path and plugging in various holes of

corruption. Thus local governments will continue to remain in the service of common

people.

If we review Local Government systems in the world, they also change accordingly butnot drastically to the level to scrap it. Those are evolved and developed under a certain

framework and same is needed here. People are not out to save Nazims but they want

continuation of this system with necessary changes if required. The course of action can

be to have election in time without interval to strengthen democratic electoral process, tohave an analytical review of merits, progress and demerits of this system, propose

changes to trim down demerits through a process approach and subsequently introduce

these changes to create ownership of all stakeholders including general public. PrimeMinister of Pakistan has formulated a committee to review concurrent list. Federal

Government look after the federal affairs, provincial governments to manager matter

relating to provinces and local government will cater to the needs of people at local level.It is healthy step towards decentralization of power and it can productive if a local

government system would in place.

Muhammad Waseem Ashraf

House No. 93-G/4 Wapda Town

[email protected]

0300-5017330
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Preliminary findings of a District Government Performance Evaluation Study by the Free

and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) suggest that a majority of citizens, local

representatives and civil servants oppose scrapping of the Local Government System andwant improvements in the existing system to enhance the quality of democratic

governance in Pakistan.

A new charter of Democracy has introduced by representatives of Local Governmentagainst the move to abandon LG system. The CoD is

It was also assured that struggle will remain for provincial autonomy ensuring the

enforcement of Article 240 241 of the constitution to ensure the officers of the provincialservices get their due rights and preserve and promote their career prospects.

Proposed local government laws are a deliberate effort to violate all national

constitutional rights and international norms and protocols signed by Pakistan.

democracy a barrier

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