- Local government versus Tiger Force
True essence of democracy lies in decentralized administration and decision making, which involves every tier of society to participate in policy making. In this process, public opinions are taken while bridging the gap among the different tiers of government. Decentralization consistently gives administration a framework that sees the ground realities too, as no government is truly democratic until its roots are tangled and have gone head to head with its people. This is possible when the democratization involves each stakeholder of a nation at grass root level, either it be the policymaking or administration, by having a local government system.
In Pakistan, roots of local government system are traced back to colonial era where “Gohra Sahiban (White Bosses)” had abandoned the decentralized local governance system of their predecessors and adopted the laws of giving patronage to feudal lords, the elites of rural areas, to administer the local areas in limited terms. Pakistan inherited the same as Ayub Khan introduced “basic democracies system” in 1959, which was solely meant to legitimize his dictorship and constitution of 1962, which had given power to president to dissolve assemblies in needed times. The same system was adopted by Zia and later by Musharraf, however, later had given more powers to local government. Civil governments after military regimes introduced decentralized a party-based local government system, broadening the concept to services of people in increasingly proficient and viable ways.
Local governments help upper tiers of government for execution of policies knowing their districts’ issues and needs, and keeping them suspended, creation of “Corona Relief Tiger Force” then appears to be only a political trick as of their immediate deployment without training.
Ironically, Pakistan’s bureaucracy too is demarcated within barricades, an inaccessible office, a huge house and a car with a blue beacon. Public Servants are still distant from the feelings of the public and are not so accessible rather most interactions with public are dependent on Qaid-E-Azam on paper. In this time of public exclusion, incumbent government undisguisedly and unhesitatingly suspended local Governments in all their governing provinces, sheltering it in the name of law amendments. Only Sindh has a working local government system, and this may be the reason behind Murad Ali Shah’s efficient leadership, results are all there to see, without having selected a Tiger Force, which too is nothing but vehicle for political point scoring. I generally wonder, why taking a U-turn from the foremost manifestos has been of most extreme significance for our Prime Minister Imran Khan. Dysfunctional local governments are glitches in bad governance and not holding its elections has a purpose. As flawed economic policies of PTI have no ambiguity in the eyes of the common man, party-based local elections get no opportunities, if transparent, to go in favor of PTI.
Abridgment and power handed to few would lead us to nowhere but catastrophe. The few in power want to possess it forever, which is evident by speech of Prime Minister Imran Khan at “Corona Relief Tigers Force Volunteers Event” in Lahore in which he said blatantly that they should utilize this time to secure their constituencies for future. This status-quo won’t be fetched ahead with vested interests. Constitution won’t let anyone exercise power for vested interests, it gives us all rights to participate in politics. Constitutional nonfulfillment would lead to a breakdown of true democratic politics consequently leading to a failure of governance which can be seen easily in case of falling GDP growth percentage and rising inflation in Pakistan. Article 140(A) of the constitution of Pakistan undoubtedly says “Each Province shall, by law, establish a local government system and devolve political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority to the elected representatives of the local governments”. Liberty in true essence is gifted to us by our founders and it is constitution which secures it.
Local governments help upper tiers of government for execution of policies knowing their districts’ issues and needs, and keeping them suspended, creation of “Corona Relief Tiger Force” then appears to be only a political trick as of their immediate deployment without training. In spite of the fact that this force depends on volunteers and those are non-paid, cost of investing capital and energy in this creation is beyond what this natural disorder can tolerate.
The general public doesn’t have any acquaintance with them, as in the case of elected counselors who they think have best comprehension of a wide range of local problems; the force would be unaware of dynamics of public without proper training. A single delay in decision making can lead us into the abyss. Lack of a clear understanding of what roles and responsibilities are expected of them, elected or selected in this present case, government representatives will not be able to perform at all. If we had not suspended the local government there would have been no need of creating a force, in this prevailing threat of a pandemic. we should provide doctors with protective kits rather than beating up and jailing protesting doctors, just for demanding protective kits who are on the front lines fighting for the greater good.
It is a genuinely shameful conduct!
