MIRPUR (AJK)
\nWithout the establishment of local government and the empowerment of elected representatives, neither is the public participation in government affairs possible, nor can a sustainable and genuine democratic system take hold.
\nThese views were expressed by the speakers while addressing a conference organized by the Centre for Peace, Development and Reforms (CPDR) on local body elections to be held in the 3rd week of next month in Azad Kashmir.
\nFormer Chief Justice Mohammad Azam Khan lauded the holding of local elections and termed it a wonderful political development. Women cannot be empowered without imparting quality education under the Devolution Plan, he claimed.
\nJustice Azam Khan suggested that to empower the local government in the real sense, reforms should be made in the Local Government Act after the election. He said that the provision of quality education is very important for the empowerment of youth and women.
\nAJK Health Minister Dr. Nisar Ali Abdali said that despite all the difficulties and reservations, the PTI government is conducting local elections because it has been promised in the party\u2019s manifesto. He said that all the stakeholders have agreed to conduct local elections.
\nFormer minister and central leader of Muslim League-N, Chaudhary Muhammad Saeed while speaking on the occasion said that the local bodies have to be empowered politically and financially.
\nHe suggested that a District Finance Board should be formed so that each district and village could receive direct government funding. Based on population, area and poverty rate; the government should allocate grants to districts and then the districts to local union councils. This formula can open the door to development and prosperity.
\nPTI leader Zulfikar Abbasi said that our villages and cities cannot be clean and orderly until an effective management system is entrusted to the elected representatives of the local government.
\nCoordinator of SDGs for Azad Kashmir Syed Ali Hasnain Gilani said that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations is not possible without the establishment of a local government. He said that fortunately, Azad Kashmir is ahead of other regions of the country in achieving development goals.
\nPakistan People\u2019s Party Women\u2019s Wing President and Member of the Legislative Assembly Nabila Ayub said that women have specific problems and needs which men cannot solve and fulfill. Therefore, it is important to increase the effective representation of women in elected positions.
\nThe low representation of women in the politics of Azad Kashmir can be compensated by increasing the representation of women at the local government level. Representation of women in local bodies should be at least 25 percent. She stressed that the political parties should give a maximum number of tickets to women so that they gain confidence and participate in national-level politics.
\nCPDR Director Ershad Mahmud said that the establishment of local government will bring a key change in the economic, political and social landscape of the region. He said that at least 30 percent of the development budget should be given to the local government. He said that the local government election will prove to be a game changer. A grassroot network of political parties will be established. They will no longer have the need to create an organizational setup for their parties.
\nPPP Shaheed Bhutto leader Chaudhry Munir Hussain said that the local government system means a new economic and political process which will bring positive change in our society. Senior journalist Muhammad Shakeel said that facilities like education and health should come under the jurisdiction of local governments.
\nFormer secretary Information Shaukat Majeed said that for the establishment of an empowered local government system, the government of Azad Kashmir, especially the MLAs, must agree on the distribution of funds.
\nThe host of the event, Dr. Waqas Ali, in his closing remarks, said that the local government can play a key role in combating the climate change that our country is facing. He said that this was the third dialogue session organized by the CPDR and it will continue such activities so that the gap between civil society and the decision-making forces is reduced.
\nSenior journalist Hafiz Maqsood said that local government systems are setting the stage for future leaders. If the elected representatives of these bodies are given adequate powers, the wheel of development will move.
\nJournalist Chief Altaf Hameed Rao said that it would have been more appropriate if the Local Government elections were held on a non-partisan basis. He urged that people should rise above community and regional prejudices, and vote based on merit and character so that competent representatives could be brought forward.
\nCh. Arif, Dr. Zubair Qazi, Hafiz Maqsood, Taimur Akbar, Ms. Asma Ali Shan, Mashkoor Ahmed Mughal, Ms. Effifa Owais and others also spoke on the occasion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MIRPUR (AJK) Without the establishment of local government and the empowerment of elected representatives, neither is the public participation in government affairs possible, nor can a sustainable and genuine democratic system take hold. These views were expressed by the speakers while addressing a conference organized by the Centre for Peace, Development and Reforms (CPDR) on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":291171,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-291167","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n