PM on urban development

Federal government has focused on the civic problems of Metropolitan City of Karachi which have multiplied, compounded and become complicated during the tenures of elected governments. Most of these governments, except PML-Q government, had remained averse to holding Local Bodies’ election for the formation of city governments, devolving them certain powers of urban planning and development with transfer of financial resources from provincial governments.

Addressing inauguration ceremony of different developmental projects in Karachi via video link, Prime Minister Imran Khan emphasised the need for city governments to collect their own revenue to overcome the resource gap between the transfer of funds from provincial governments and requirements of development finances. He cited the examples of mega cities in other countries including London, Paris, Tehran and Mumbai where elected city governments have an effective system of revenue collection. It merits mention that elected Mayor of Karachi Waseem Akhtar has not received funds for urban development from PPP provincial government and federal government has to announce a development package of Rs.162 billion for the uplift schemes in the city.

Past political history of the country tells the bitter truth that unelected governments had held local bodies’ polls and elected local government institutions had been devolved powers of planning and devilment, while providing sufficient funds to them. They always neglected this important tier of participatory democracy. From 1985 and onwards the lawmakers of provincial and federal legislatures developed a lust for acquiring development funds and took over the developmental role of local government institutions They take keen interest in unveiling plaques of their names on inaugurating of small development schemes such as building of streets and lanes and schemes of providing utility services to people in their respective electoral constituencies and gave little importance in legislative business in the parliament.

Neither the last PPP government nor the PML-N were interested in holding local bodies’ polls and devolution of powers to the grass root in accordance with the true spirit of democracy. The matter went to the Supreme Courts and the Apex Court issued a short order on March 20, 2014 directing the government to hold local bodies’ elections. The detailed judgment was released on April 8. Polls for these institutions were held in May, 2015 and their tenure expired last year. But next local bodies’ election has been delayed on the pretext of refining the local government system in the Provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. The amended Local Government Act is yet to be passed and enforced in these provinces. Let us hope that refined local government law shall be passed without further delay in Punjab and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa wherein the vision of the Prime Minister of revenue collection by the elected city governments will also be incorporated rather than diluting their powers which they already had.