LAHORE: (13 December 22) “Though Local govt. is the third tier of government, but it is first tier of democracy and democracy is incomplete without appropriate and meaningful representation of women in local institutions. For the last three years local govt. is absent in the province of Punjab and bureaucracy is running the show. The LG elections in rest of the three provinces; Sindh, KPK and Baluchistan have either already been completed or about to complete. Therefore, the govt of Punjab should hold LG polls without further delay in the province”
These views were expressed by the speakers at a Provincial Conference, “The Punjab Local Govt. Act 2022 and Women Representation”, organized by Women in Struggle for Empowerment (WISE) here Tuesday at Flatties Hotel, Lahore. A large of women ex-councilors and LG members from different districts; including Nankana Sahib, Sheikhupura, Okara, Kasur, Khanewal and Lahore joined the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Zahid Islam, the LG expert presented an overview of the newly introduced Punjab Local Govt. Act 2022 describing salient features of the law. He said the law has its own pros and cons, but the important thing is the sustainability and continuity of the local govt. system, which is unfortunately made hostage amid tug of war between two major political parties. Punjab is the only province where election process is yet to start while rest of the three provinces have either completed or about to complete the election process. Even Azad Kashmir has successfully completed the process of LG elections after 31 years, he added hoping early elections.
Executive Director WISE, Bushra Khaliq expressing her views on the occasion, said the despite reservation that new Punjab Local Govt, Act 2022 not much offers to women, the elections should be held per schedule of the Election Commission of Pakistan in April 2023. The ratio of women representation at different tiers; Metropolitan, Municipal Corporation and Tehsil Council etc. has been decreasing with the passage of time, which must be stopped. She demanded at least 33%, women representation in all LG tiers, she demanded.
Salman Abid executive director IDEA said political parties and even state has never been sincere to establish a sustainable local govt. system in the country. There is no accountability of the provincial govts. For persistently using delaying tactics to avoid LG system in provinces, he lamented, adding that constitutional protection of the local govt. in provinces is a must. Article 140/A is not enough to help sustain and continuity of the local govt. as third tier of the governance. For the continuity of the system, there should be a consensus among provinces on a common framework of action, guaranteed by the federal govt.
Ms. Huma Safdar, representative of Election Commission of Pakistan, said the process of delimitation has already been started from 9th of Dec. This is third exercise in the span of last three years on account of three different laws introduced by PTI and PML-N govts. ECP making all out efforts to reduce gender gap in the electoral rolls from 31% in 2013 to 7% in 2022, she said.
Additional secretary local govt, Mr. Arshad Baig, agreed to the proposal that constitutional protection is must for the sustainability of the LG system. He hoped the local govt polls would be held per schedule announced by the ECP by April 2023. Besides; several women including ex-councilors expressed their concerns over the new LG law and observed that women political participation is taken for granted by the political parties. Therefore, they have to struggle unitedly beyond party line to reclaim their political space in the democratic intuitions.
