LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM OF PAKISTAN Local Self Government System in Pakistan: Conclusion. Current Local Govt System introduced in 2013 Musharaf regime Zia-ul- haq’s regime. Zulfiqar Bhutto’s regime. Ayub’s regime. 1947 – 1958 period Introduction about Govt and Local Self Govt CONTENTS Executive Legislature Judiciary of Govt • To run the State Function Machinary Government Local Government Provincial Government Federal Government Tiers of Government in Pakistan • Administration of local areas run by appointed bureaucracy • Administration of local areas run by its elective representatives Local Govt Local Self Govt TYPES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT democracy is made real in local self- but without the spirit of institutions it cannot have the spirit of liberty. government, municipal government. A nation may establish a system of free because states there is a great import of the local self-government local areas run by its elective representatives. In modern By local self-government, we mean the administration of WHAT IS LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT? birth, deaths and marriages) and disposal of Refuse, infection diseases, registration of health, responsibility for sanitations, removal, collection Health Units, Family Welfare Clinics, Promotion of public Public Health (Hospitals, Rural Health Centres, Basic trespass, and establishing cattle pounds Providing protection against stray animals and animal bridges, street lights and storm water drains Planning and development and maintenance of roads, FUNCTIONS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Fire fighting service Civil Defence Slaughter House Streets (Permission of laying out street and proper exhibitions etc) shows etc, Culture and Trees, Parks, Gardens and Forests (fairs Education (Adult / Primary) Libraries, museum, lightening of streets, Traffic Planning, Street Watering) Water supply and drainage liquor and other social services) taking of injurious drugs and consumption of alcoholic relief of the distressed, Prevention of beggary, gambling, widow and shelter houses and other institutions for the Social Welfare (Welfare homes, asylums, orphanages, Tax on transfer of immovable property Fee for registration and certificates of birth and death, Cinemas, dramatic and theatrical shows etc Vehicles (other than motor vehicle but including carts bi- cycles and all kinds of boats) Advertisements including bill board and hoarding marriages and divorce Tax on the annual value of buildings and lands SOURCES OF INCOME OF LOCAL BODIES Schools fees in respect of schools established or Fees for licenses, sanctions and permits granted by the Local Govt Fees for markets tournaments and other public gatherings Fees for fairs, agricultural shows, industrial exhibition, Rate for the supply of water maintained by the Local Govt Tolls on roads, bridges and ferries Fees for slaughtering of Animals Parking Fee Fee on BTS Tower Fisheries Any other tax which is levied by Government Grants by Provincial / Federal Govt, if any Through Local Self Govt there is a great saving of money in the administration, because the people of local areas pay the taxes and their representatives know well how difficult it is to pay taxes. Thus there is no misuse of the taxes It brings efficiency in the administration because the representative of local areas understand local problems well and they can solve them in a better way People get interested in the administration and their cooperation is increased People get training in democracy. That is why it is called the primary school of democracy ADVANTAGES OF LOCAL SELF GOVT and reading rooms, museums, zoos and beautiful parks etc water, clean roads and streets, good drains, good libraries The local bodies are useful because they provide drinking overburdened with work provincial government, because, the latter is already efficiently performed by the local institutions and not by entrusting work to local bodies. The local functions are The workload of the provincial government is lightened by LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IN PAKISTAN After independence, the policy of the Pakistan Govt in regard to local govt was that fullest autonomy shall be granted to such bodies; this was borne out by the 1948 Muslim League Manifesto which stood for the ‘very widest extension of Local Govt on the models of parishes and communes of the United States’. The system of local government inherited by Pakistan in 1947 was a product of a series of British efforts made from time to time through reforms, laws and commissions, to promote local institutions autonomous in certain respects but substantially under the control of the provincial government through district officers. LOCAL GOVT IN PAKISTAN (1947 – 1958) no appreciable 1959 made until the promulgation of Basic Democracies Order in Pakistan’s existence and no noteworthy advance was continued to prevail throughout the first decade of made The above state of affairs more or less Pakistan progress. West in institutions Despite these steps and prompt action taken, the local govt Ordinance, 1959 and the Municipal the Government and had these officials as Chairmen. elected members and some official members nominated by had some members elected indirectly by these directly amongst themselves. The higher tiers of local government of adult franchise who, in turn, elected a chairman from union councils, comprised of members elected on the basis system of four linked tiers. The lowest tier, which was the Administration Ordinance 1960, comprised a hierarchical Democracies The new local governments, established under the Basic THE AYUB PERIOD: DECENTRALIZATION AND THE POLITICS OF LEGITIMACY Divisional Councils (18) Municipal Committees (118) Union Committees (449) Cantt Boards (25) Union Committees (77) District Councils (81) Local Govt in Ayub’s Regime Town Committees (261) Union Councils (7577) Tehsil Councils (617) STRUCTURE OF BASIC DEMOCRACY autonomy is the corner stone of local govt. that is to say that they did not adhere to the concept that its authors tried to shape it against the fundamental laws To sum up, the Basic Democracies scheme failed because and the members of national and provincial assemblies. Electoral College and empowered to elect the President lowest tier, the Union Councilors, were designated as the included in constitutions of 1962 was that members of the The most important and controversial function which was BASIC DEMOCRACIES (BD) LOCAL GOVERNMENT ZULFIQAR ALI BHUTTO AND ZIA’S REGIME political strings. government were set up on their own account and had no local to all provinces. In the new order institutions of local introduced. In the law order each province passed its own to power, the concept of People’s Local Government was When Pakistan People’s Party with Zulfiqar Bhutto came ZULFIQAR ALI BHUTTO’S REGIME Municipal Corporation Municipal Committee Town Committee District Council Halqa Council Dehi Council Local Govt STRUCTURE OF PEOPLE’S LOCAL GOVT SYSTEM Government system during the period 1971 to 1979. implemented. The country did not have any Local not constituted under the new law, these reforms were not never held under the new law, and the local councils were in the field of local government. But as elections were to be invited. The new law introduced some useful reforms required to hold meeting once a year to which votes were and workers on the local councils. The local councils were It provided representation for minorities, women, peasants there to suit local circumstances. the same pattern, but slight variations were made here and promulgated and enforced in 1979. These laws followed Area, Northern Areas, and Azad Kashmir. These laws were government laws were drafted for each province, Federal government. In undertaking of this policy new local declared in clear terms their policy of revitalizing local The new Martial Law Government of General Zia-ul- Haq THE ZIA AND POST-ZIA PERIOD • • • Provision of Municipal Services Primary Objective Local Governments Given Little Financial Power – – and Prolonged Customs Politics and Elite Capture Non-Party Basis of Elections Curtailed Power of Parties, No Constitutional Protection Given to Elected Bodies – Implemented Bhutto’s LGOs of Quasi-Presidential Government Centralization Reinforced Through Direct Military Control Town Committee (270) Wards (3568) Municipal Committee (117) Wards (2694) Municipal Corporation (11) Wards (836) Urban Metropolitan Corporation (2) Wards (219) Provincial Govt Union Councils (3786) Wards (61292) Distt Council (86) Wards (3373) Rural STRUCTURE OF LOCAL GOVT DURING ZIA’S REGIME • • • • Strong Rural Elites for Resources Competition between Urban Middle Class and Numerically Administrative Tier for Financial Support Rural and semi-Urban Areas Dependent on Provincial Rural or semi-Urban Areas Urban Councils Under No Obligation To Provide Funds to Income than Rural and semi-Urban Ones Urban Councils Enjoyed Higher Levels of Revenue and • • • Factions Space Left by Parties Filled by Fluid Local Political of Politics Due to Weakened Parties Revival of Party Basis (1988) Did Not Reverse Localization Politics at all Levels Non-Party Based Elections in 1985 Created Localization of Local Govt in Musharaf’s regime DEVOLUTION OF POWER PLAN - 2001 Union Nazim, and Naib Union Nazim during 2000 to 2001. were held in five phases for members of Union Councils, holding of elections. Direct elections on non-party basis Government was installed on August 14, 2001, after experiment in Pakistan. This new system of Local Local Government System. This was not a new regime of General Pervez Musharaf, introduced the In order to establish democracy at grassroots level, the MUSHARAF’S REGIME Decentralization of Administrative authority De-concentration of management functions Defusion of the power - authority nexus and Distribution of resources The Local Govt was based on five ground rules:- Devolution of Political Power It was implemented in September 2001 Introduced by General Pervaiz Musharraf in Jan 2001 THE NEW DEVOLUTION OF POWER PLAN UNION GOVERNMENT TEHSIL GOVERNMENT DISTRICT GOVERNMENT DIFFERENT LEVELS • • • • The lowest tier, the union government was a corporate body covering the rural as well as urban areas across the whole District It consisted of Union Nazim, Naib Union Nazim and three Secretaries and other auxiliary staff The Union Nazim was the head of Union Administration. The Union Secretaries coordinated and facilitated in community development, functioning of the Union Committees and delivery of municipal services under the supervision of union Nazim In addition to fiscal transfers from the Provinces, the Local Govt were authorized to generate money from their own resources by levying certain taxes, fees, user charges etc UNION GOVERNMENT • • • district, Tehsil and lower levels. numerous other subjects at the regional, divisional, the offices of the local govt and rural development and function of administration, finances, the management of The Tehsil Municipal Administration was entrusted with the Officers and other officials. Nazim, a Tehsil Municipal Officer, Tehsil Officer, Chief Tehsil Municipal Administration consisted of a Tehsil Administration, headed by the Tehsil Nazim The middle tier, the Tehsil Govt, had Tehsil Municipal TEHSIL GOVERNMENT • • • • • The District Government consisted of Zila Nazim and District Administration The District Administration consisted of District Officers including sub-offices at Tehsil level, who were to be responsible to the District Nazim assisted by the District Coordinator Officer The District Coordinator Officer was appointed by the Provincial Govt and was the coordinating head of the District Administration The Zila Nazim was accountable to the people through elected members of the Zila Council. A Zila Council was consisted of all Union Nazims in the Districts. The Zila Council has separate budget allocation The District Govt was responsible to the people and Provincial Govt for improvement of Governance and delivery of services DISTRICT GOVERNMENT for women. The offices of Division (DCO) who reported to the Nazims. (Nazims) and including a District Coordination Officer to the District Government headed by the elected mayor abolished and their roles and functions were distributed Commissioner and District Commissioner (DC) were reserved was lowered from 21 to 18 years. One-third seats were politics, the minimum age for local government elections Nazim. In order to attract people towards electoral Zila Nazim and also for Tehsil-Town Nazim and Naib were held in July-August 2001 for Zila Nazim and Naib On the basis of these direct elections, indirect elections Nazims. responsibility of law and order was entrusted to the oversight formerly held by the DC was abolished and the given to the judiciary and police. The role of police The magisterial powers of the DC were withdrawn and LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM - 2013 accordance with the 18th Amendment to the passage of the LG Acts is a significant milestone. and due consultation during the formulation stage, the passed their LG Acts in 2013. Despite a lack of enthusiasm, assemblies of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa passed the LG Act in 2010, whereas the provincial Constitution, the provincial assembly of Balochistan In ANALYSIS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACTS OF 2013 Minister of the province. Fund is managed by the Finance Department and Finance government. The functioning of the Local Government suspend or remove the heads of an elected local four provincial governments have retained the authority to functions and powers to the local governments, and all the LGO 2001, is that none of the Acts devolves sufficient One striking feature of all four LG Acts, in comparison with areas. rural areas and Neighbourhood Councils in the urban provides for Tehsil Councils and Village Councils in the the urban areas. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa LG Act also Union Councils/Committees and Municipal Committees in Union Councils and District Councils in the rural areas and a party basis. Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan will have All four LG Acts provide for local government elections on STRUCTURE AND CONSTITUENCY DELIMITATION the general and reserved seats. of Union Council from a panel of nine Councilors elected to envisages indirect election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman Vice-Chairmen of the Union Councils, whereas Sindh provides for direct elections for the posts of Chairmen and The electoral process also varies across provinces. Punjab Pakhtunkhwa of three years. years, Sindh and Balochistan of four years, and Khyber of the local governments. Punjab provides for a term of five The LG Acts of 2013 are not consistent on the term limits TERM LIMITS AND THE ELECTORAL PROCESS and Neighbourhood Councils. In Khyber number of seats won. representation by the political parties on the basis of the youth and minorities will be filled through proportional Pakhtunkhwa, the reserved seats for women, peasants, Village members for all seats (reserved and non-reserved) in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provides for direct elections of comprising all members of the respective council. will be chosen indirectly through an electoral college In both Punjab and Sindh, the heads of District Councils SINDH LOCAL GOVT ACT - 2013 Union Committee (Ward level) Town Committee (For each Town comprising of single ward) Municipal Committees (for each municipality comprising of single member ward) Municipal Corporation (for each city comprising of union committees) Distt Municipal Corporation (for each distt of the Metropolitan city) Union Council District Council Rural Area in a District Metropolitan Corporation (for each Metropolitan city) Urban Area in a District Structure of Local Govt in Sindh (2015) Population Required Population above 3.5 Million Population between 0.3 Million to 3.5 Million Population between 50,000 to 0.3 million Population between 10,000 to 50,000 Population between 10,000 to 15,000 Population between 10,000 to 15,000 Population between 40,000 to 50,000 Population between 2000 to 3000 Population between 4000 to 5000 Local Body Metropolitan Corporations Corporations, other then Metropolitan Corporation Municipal Corporation Town Committees Union Council Union Committee in Municipal Corporation Union Committee in Metropolitan Corporation Ward in a Town Committee Ward in a Municipal Committee LOCAL GOVT IN SINDH (2015) fall within Karachi’s six district municipal 21, 44 and 37 union councils have been carved out Karachi division, will have district councils as well where The three districts, along with 19 other districts and 20 union committees, respectively. Sukkur and Larkana — have been notified with 96, 26 and Three more municipal corporations — of Hyderabad, (KDC), respectively. corporations (DMCs) and the Karachi District Council councils the province. Of them, 213 union committees and 22 union Total of 355 union committees and 1,131 union councils in DEMARCATIONS FOR THE LOCAL BODIES ELECTIONS peasants/labourers one each would be allocated for women, minorities and would be contesting on four general councillor seats while be joint candidates from a party or a group. Candidates with the chairperson and vice-chairperson are required to Each union council and committee will have nine seats designated as ‘urban neighbourhoods’. 144 town committees functioning in many districts elsewhere, there would be 37 municipal committees and apart from six DMCs. With three municipal corporations Karachi is the only city with a metropolitan corporation DEMARCATIONS FOR THE LOCAL BODIES ELECTIONS 1 x NonMuslim Member 4 x General members Union Committee A Chairman and a Vice Chairman as join candidate 1 x labourer or Peasant Member 1 x Woman Member Corporation Municipal in respective Distt Union Committee represent the Vice Chairman will Corporation and in Metropolitan Union Committee will represent the Union Committee Chairman of each UNION COMMITTEE – WARD LEVEL 22% Women 5% for labourer or Peasant District Municipal Corporation All elected Vice Chairman of Union Committees falling within the District 5% NonMuslim show of hands) members elected (by from amongst its Chairman respectively Chairman and a Vice constituted shall elect a Corporation so The District Municipal DISTRICT MUNICIPAL CORPORATION IN 6 X DISTRICTS OF KARACHI 22% Women 5% for labourer or Peasant Metropolitan Corporation (Karachi Division) All elected Chairman of Union Committees falling within the District 5% NonMuslim (by show of hands) members elected amongst its Deputy Mayor from elect a Mayor and a constituted shall Corporation so The Metropolitan METROPOLITAN CORPORATION (KARACHI DIVISION) 1 x NonMuslim Member 4 x General Members 1 x Member to be elected directly for the Distt Council Union Council A Chairman and a Vice Chairman as joiin candidates 1 x Labourer or Peasant Member 1 x Women member UNION COUNCIL Reserved seats 22% for Women Reserved seats 5% for NonMuslim District Council Members elected by the Union Councils Reserved seats 5% for Labourer or Peasant DISTRICT COUNCIL (by show of hands) members elected amongst its Chairman from and a Vice elect a Chairman constituted shall Council so The District Reserved seats 22% for Women Reserved seats 5% for NonMuslim Municipal Corporation Members elected by the Union Committees Reserved seats 5% for Labourer or Peasant MUNICIPAL CORPORATION (by show of hands) members elected amongst its Deputy Mayor from elect a Mayor and a constituted shall Corporation so The Municipal Reserved seats 22% for Women Reserved seats 5% for Non-Muslim Municipal Committee Each Member elected from its respective wards Reserved seats 5% for Labourer or Peasant MUNICIPAL COMMITTEE (by show of hands) members elected amongst its Chairman from and a Vice elect a Chairman constituted shall Committee so The Municipal Reserved seats 22% for Women Reserved seats 5% for Non-Muslim Town Committee Each Member elected from its respective wards Reserved seats 5% for Labourer or Peasant TOWN COMMITTEE (by show of hands) members elected amongst its Chairman from and a Vice elect a Chairman constituted shall Committee so The Town CONCLUSION governments, local government is more needs. Therefore, local government should be United States and other developed countries. own experiences and aspirations. That is what happens in developed and evolved by the local people according to their local accessible, more sympathetic, and quicker to respond to provincial The experience has shown in comparison to federal and CONCLUSION and immediate justice to be created and existing one strengthened to provide cheap the system of devolution, new local judicial institutions have affairs. Since effective lower judiciary is an important part of resources is not likely to enable the people to run their own governments to raise and manage funds from their own collect revenues. Devolution without enabling the local tiers of governance. They must have the power to levy and beneficial interaction and participation of the masses in all real democracy in the country and a more active and better provision of social and civil services, restoration of the Decentralization of power at the grass roots level leads to CONCLUSION William Lyon Mackenzie King Where there is little or no public opinion, there is likely to be bad government, which sooner or later becomes autocratic government. QUOTE OF THE DAY
