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Local Bodies - 3rd level of government 

In the federated state of Pakistan, after the central government the provincial governments of the four provinces make the second level of government and the network of the local bodies makes the third layer of democratic rule. Like any civilized nation, Pakistan has too a historical tradition with respect to governance. 

Regarding the local bodies, their role and relevance to the infrastructure of our society is traceable to the 1842's Conservancy Act. Later under the first constitution of 1956, the same institutions were recognized with allocated roles. 

Similarly in the constitution of 1962 the then Iron man Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan gave a new network of the Local Bodies in the name of Basic Democracies that provided the elected Local Bodies members with extraordinary bonus of administrative and executive powers. 

In the 1973 constitution the role of the local bodies was brought back to its traditional look and responsibilities.

Hence to say that since the birth of Pakistan in 1947, every government in power observed the need for improvement in the system of the local bodies, and today exactly after four decades, the more or less lifeless faulty framework of the same can be held responsible for the poor results in development. The problem of inadequate finances and staff, relationship with the higher level of government, corruption, relationship with local voters and above all the complaints of backdoor entry tactics into national political scene can be heard often. But above all the issue of developmental schemes on this level of governance has reflected time and again about the inertia-ridden reputation of our Local Bodies system. To writers and laymen our third level of government is but a 'white elephant' because of its huge expenditures and no or little developments. 

Distribution of powers was the main political issue after the dismantlement of One Unit in 1969. And though in the 1973 Constitution the spirit of unanimity did help resolve the issue through the principle of give and take, yet the dilemma remained pending in case of local bodies for the possible lacunas of constitutional nature. 

Presently after undergoing another decade of Martial Law of Gen. Zia regime, the present government has ample reason to reconsider the role of Local Bodies and introduce basic changes in the system. The traditional approach has been changed recently with the introduction of certain federal schemes with extra-ordinary fund allocations to Member of the Legislative assemblies for expenditure in their respective constituencies, practically overlapping the local bodies. To many critics it is the instance of palm greasing by the government of those supporting it in the assemblies. 

Hence it would be appropriate to initiate a pace of reforms on the third level of governance in Pakistan so that the institutions are enabled to function on its own self-sufficiently within its own legal jurisdiction with out depending on foreign elements. 

In this regard reallocation of responsibilities of the Provincial Governments and its sharing with the local bodies could be a relevant administrative step. As, both these levels of governments in cases of administration and jurisdiction at District, Tehsil and Municipal bodies stages have overlapping of functions and roles that ought to be avoided. Further, health and education services along with the running of cities, towns and villages should be made the main concern of local bodies. For this end a detailed discussion on the public forum considering the technocratic views about public administration trends should be necessary before the assemblies are contacted for legislative purposes. The issue is two fold: Firstly, to define the role of local bodies and secondly to link the local body network to the provincial and federal governments. 

At this level of government the object is not to establish a kind of dictatorship with ideology on its back or that of majority of the voters. But instead to get together and form basic units that can be easily led by agreed competent persons towards pre-planned goals for the purpose of socio-economic uplift at gross root social level. Hence qualifications for contestants of elections to self-government institutions must be prescribed-say at least graduation. 

Further, as the area of such an institution may have various social, political, religious and welfare organizations plus trade unions, hence to allow for their roles, registration may be made a compulsory requirement in order to eliminate anti-state, and anti-social elements. All such organizations of sociopolitical nature meeting the prescribed qualifications on memberships, achievements etc be given legal guarantee of linkage with the local bodies by allotting certain reserved seats. 

For example, the shopkeepers' associations' etc in an area be organized for such a linkage with the local bodies. The following groups would thus emerge:

1. Trade Unions or organizations of local workers of different trades, and producers (agricultural and non-agricultural) with defined goals and targets. 
2. Sociopolitical groups and organizations that have a valid distinct approach and views to the socioeconomic uplift of the area, e.g., the political parties cells in the area, Islahi committees or other civil intellectual groups. 
3. Religious and other groups that have been recognized under the constitution as having separate identities.
4. These groups should be given reasonable representation against the reserved seats in the Local Bodies, whereas the rest of the seats be contested for with educational qualifications as necessary requirement for the candidature on one-man one vote basis and on the part basis. Hence in case of a single party return, the reserved seats for the organizations will be providing chances to defeated parties still to attend the very process of the local bodies. 

The purpose of this should not be the new look to the institution of local bodies but to make it practically an acceptable body representing all segments of the publ9I for the basic purposes of: 

1. Education of the masses. 
2. Ensuring the health and related services with check on the growth of population in the area. 
3. Providing the provincial and federal scene with refined and experienced leaders, having gone through the process of local bodies with competence and character. 
4. Ensuring local peace and harmony among various people of area, with valid check and control on crimes through police services and local judicial powers of the local body concerned. Basic amenities, and organization of volunteer groups and their training with gymnasium facilities. 
5. Communal development services with earnings from taxation professional tax, tehbazari, bus stands, Octroi accounts etc.

The five-point program of the present Junejo government can be integrated and implemented through a unified system of local bodies wherein instances like crusade against illiteracy and provision of health services could be easily done. But the adjustments and transferring of authorities from higher level of government to that of the local bodies be made effective, thus relieving in the first place the provincial government of unnecessary burden of extra work, and secondly minimizing overlapping of duties between the two systems of governments. Hence the local populations be having more say and access and liberty of the exercise of their democratic right of taking part in its affairs. 

Further, the departments like integrated rural areas and or urban development be absorbed or attached with the local bodies for the aforesaid purposes of integration of all such agencies at the very lower level of the system. Such an integration of all-socioeconomic groups and agencies for uplift of the society at its very root would provide with practical mobilization of the entire spectrum of the system towards realization of the preplanned goals. This would further productivity and demand and supply situation of commodities and produces within the jurisdictional market of a local body unit with that of the rest of the markets in the province. This would create unification of the market facilities at provincial level with the price control and wage earning or agriculture production and disposal of surplus produce. 

Such an integration of all-socioeconomic groups and agencies for uplift of the society at its very root would provide with practical mobilization of the entire spectrum of the system towards realization of the preplanned goals. This would further productivity and demand and supply situation of commodities and produces within the jurisdictional market of a local body unit with that of the rest of the markets in the province. This will create unification of the market facilities at provincial level with the price control and wage earning or agriculture production and disposal of surplus produce. Voting, elections, party politics, demonstrations, etc. have since independence produced no positive results for our society and the wage earning majority has have got tired and depressed of the consequences of such a phenomenon. Hence in the very interest of our future and that of our coming generations, the slums and the increasing populations living conditions and standards be raised. The government has to take the lead in reconsidering the very vitality of the network of the local bodies, by letting all the socio economic groups take part in the affairs of basic institutions of the local bodies. 

To strengthen the viability of the system, it would be appropriate to link the basic third level government of local bodies to the first level of the federation by allowing representation into the Upper house or Senate. Such an approach will not only be providing a relevant system of check and balance from above with feedback effects to the lower level of the system but will also be countering narrow minded provincialism. This can also be useful for the purpose of proper flow of funding and allocations of federal funds to the basic constituencies with reducing the load of responsibilities on MNAs and MPAs giving them time for more important affair of the state to do. 

* The author has been regularly working for such a change during the political era but of no results. However, it was the country's fourth Military government of general Pervez Musharaff who after assumption of power resorted to this end. Let us see what is the ultimate achievement?

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