[:en]By Asim Shahzad
LAHORE: Provincial Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique has said that the Punjab government understands the need of the current time so it will hold local body election as soon as possible.
The Muslim League-N has a record of holding local body elections in each of its terms, he added.
A Provincial Roundtable Conference convened at a local hotel in Lahore on Monday spotlighted the urgent need for immediate elections to local government institutions in Punjab.
The conference, which attracted a broad spectrum of stakeholders including political leaders, civic activists, and legal experts, centered on the critical issue of local governance within the province.
The event underscored mounting concerns over the extended delay in local government elections, which has left numerous municipalities and rural areas without elected representation. Keynote speakers and participants collectively emphasized that timely elections are essential for ensuring effective governance and more efficiently addressing local issues.
Among the prominent speakers were: Arshid Mehmood Mirza Executive Director of Baidarie Sialkot,Mr. Irfan Mufti Deputy Director of SAP-Pk and President of Baidarie, Ms. Asia Gul Special Secretary of the Local Government & Community Development Department, senior journalist Salman Abid, Ume Laila Azhar Executive Director of HomeNet Pakistan,
Bushra Khaliq, Executive Director of WISE.
These speakers highlighted the importance of reestablishing local government institutions to enhance community empowerment, increase transparency, and improve public service delivery.
Arshid Mehmood Mirza emphasized the legal and systemic void that has persisted since the end of the previous local government term in 2015.
“There is no legal or systemic framework available in Punjab that allows people or their representatives to engage in the provision of municipal services, undertake local development initiatives, or address grievances,” said Mirza.
He urged the provincial government to announce local government elections without further delay.
Salman Abid from IDEA echoed similar sentiments, stressing the need for a systemic arrangement that enables public participation in municipal services, local development, and grievance redressal.
Zahid Islam ,tehseen ahmed and Bushra Khaliq demanded greater representation and participation of women, youth, peasants, rural and industrial workers, trans persons, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable social segments in local government institutions.
The conference concluded with a unified call for immediate action to address the governance vacuum and restore local government functions to better serve the people of Punjab.
The Punjab government has embarked on drafting a new local government law aimed at overhauling the existing system, according to Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique.
Rafique highlighted the need for new local government demarcations in light of the recent census, emphasizing that smaller local government units would allow for greater power transfer to lower administrative levels. “The smaller the size of the local government, the more powers will be transferred to the lower level,” Rafique explained. He also stressed that a robust local government system is crucial for ensuring sustainable sanitation and other services in rural areas.
The minister assuring conference participants of the government’s commitment, Rafique promised that the new legislation would be comprehensive and markedly different from the previous act. He expressed his determination to establish a local government system that genuinely serves the needs of the people.[:]