It is condemnable behavior of elected governments that Supreme Court of Pakistan has to push them to fulfill their diplomatic responsibilities. After orders of top court, provincial governments carried out process of holding local body elections. Because provincial governments were delaying exercise until SC gave the deadline to fulfill constitutional requirement. Now one year has passed since Punjab held LG elections, but still province has yet to elect its chairman and mayors in its 35 district councils and 12 metropolitan corporations.
Political parties in Pakistan need to transfer maximum power to the grass root level. These parties need to come out from fear that if they share development funds with local governments then they may lose their present authority. It has been witnessed that provincial governments are not at ease to do so, because they are perturbed that they might not be able to divert funds from districts for the development of cities of their liking. By delaying process of allocating funds to the local government, political parties are giving perception that they consider district council chairman and mayors as threat to their authority.
The chairmen and mayors have yet not been allotted sufficient development funds and the administrative authority. In recent days Karachi mayor was seen complaining for lack of funds and authority to make a difference and deliver in the city, he is elected from. Parliamentarians need to realize that law making if their supreme job. But sadly they consider building roads and ensuring water supplies in their constituencies as their main work.
Parliamentarians need to overcome fear of losing authority and should transfer powers to local govts.
