ISLAMABAD, May 17: President Gen Pervez Musharraf announced on Monday that local government elections in all cantonments and Islamabad would be held at the time of the next LG polls in the country , a source in the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) told Dawn.

The president made the announcement during an NRB briefing given to him and Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali at Aiwan-i-Sadr about the functioning of the local government system and recommendations for the removal of irritants faced in its smooth functioning, the source said.

The briefing was also attended by the chief ministers and chief secretaries of all the four provinces. The source said local government polls would be held after every four years.

The president ordered the formation of a technical working body (TWB) to fix a date for the next LG polls. The TWB will meet fortnightly to resolve financial and administrative problems in the local government system.

Matters relating to financial problems confronting the LGs were also discussed and the president directed the provincial governments to release funds allocated for the LGs in their respective provinces.

It was stated in the briefing that the NRB had held more than 100 meetings with different stakeholders of the LG system, including MNAs, representatives of provincial governments and officials of police, health and education departments.

The president said the local government system must be supported and strengthened as it would serve as a catalyst to transfer benefits of the macro-economic progress down to the grassroots level.

"There is a need to rise above personal and political interests and the local government system must be viewed in the context of benefits that are accruing from it to the people of Pakistan," President Musharraf was quoted as saying.

He said it was important to fill existing gaps between provinces and grassroots. "There must be an acceptance of the system and it must gain strength with the passage of time," he said.

The president said the system was manmade and, therefore, periodic reviews were needed to resolve problems being faced in its smooth functioning. He said he was a firm believer in maximum devolution and autonomy, adding that powers must devolve from the centre to provinces, from provinces to districts, towns and down to the union council level.

Emphasizing the importance of financial devolution for the success of the system, President Musharraf said a mechanism of checks and balances should be put in place for a judicious and transparent utilization of funds.