Undoing LG system, marching backwards into the future !
Editorial, 15 July 2011

The Government has announced that it is going to undo the devolution of power process to the local governments and reintroduce the century old British system of commissionarate. The spirit behind this decision is wicked and clearly visible. The PPP wants to punish the MQM in Karachi with this act. The PML(N) is supporting it as it wants to undo everything done by Pervez Musharraf regardless whether it was good or bad. The spirit of collective welfare of the country is clearly missing. Personal enmities and frugal considerations have always steered our national policies leading the country to the present abyss despite being richly endowed with natural resources.

Amongst the few good steps initiated by Pervez Musharraf, the introduction of a local govt system stands out. Although the ex president did not allow the system to function in true spirit as was visualized by its conceiver Gen Naqvi, reasons being again buckling down to personal and political considerations instead of standing up for the country.

How can the commissionarate system formulated to govern people who numbered in hundreds in a  given area during the British rule be effective for the present population of tens of thousands in the same area. (The British themselves have abandoned this system since long).

The system of local government is being practiced all over the world for effective governance and empowerment of the people. Here in Pakistan we are bent upon retrogressing instead of moving forward. The local Govt system should be restored immediately and any lacunas in it should be addressed on merit instead of abolishing it altogether. We do not want cutting the head as a cure for the headache.