Consensus to be evolved on new LG system for Balochistan
QUETTA: Balochistan’s Senior Minister and Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Sardar Muhammad Saleh Bhootani has said the proposed draft for a new local bodies’ system in the province will be prepared after forging consensus of all stakeholders and keeping in view the ground realities.
“It is not necessary to adopt the changes the other provinces are introducing in their local bodies’ system,” he said while speaking at a consultative conference held here to seek suggestions for changes in the existing local bodies system.
The participants of the conference, including representatives of local bodies, government officials and members of civil society, suggested that local bodies should be given more financial powers and allowed to work independently and that mayors and chairpersons of the local councils should be elected through direct elections.
Minister says ground realities will be kept in view while preparing draft for new local bodies’ system
The conference held under the aegis of the Ministry of Local Government was attended, among others, by provincial Ministers Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran and Muhammad Khan Lehri, MPAs Sanaullah Baloch, Ahmed Nawaz Baloch and Muhammad Asghar Khan, Additional Chief Secretary for Planning and Development Sajjad Ahmed Bhutta and Secretary of Local Government Kambar Dashti.
The representatives of the local bodies suggested that the changes in the existing local bodies system should be made keeping in view local traditions and values to ensure smooth running of the institutions.
Mr Bhootani said that Balochistan would introduce a local bodies system which would boost traditional brotherhood and friendly environment among different segments of society.
He said that a committee would be formed, as suggested by the participants, to discuss and review all proposals for the preparation of a final draft of reforms to improve the existing local bodies system in the province.
Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2018
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