Int’l moot on local governments begins at GCU

Lahore: A three-day international conference on “Local Representation of Power in South Asia” Wednesday began at the Government College University, Lahore under the auspices of the university’s Political Science and Higher Education Commission. Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Khaleeq-ur-Rahman chaired the inauguration of the conference which was spread over five technical sessions including on women empowerment through local representation of power.

In his keynote address, Eminent Indian social scientist Dr Chanchal Kumar Shrama from Department of Political Science, Central University of Haryana, India, said that only decentralization of power did not guarantee efficient local government system, adding that local government had remained successful only in those states of India where there was high literacy rate, social and economic equivalence and people were politically well aware. He said that in other states, local government system had led to increase in corruption. He said that Bangladesh was the best example in South Asia where public service had been efficient through non-government organization. However, he believed that the main goal of local bodies system was not efficient public service; rather local government was a mean to achieve a goal of empowerment of people. He said that honest leadership and efficient administrative system also played a vital role in the success of local bodies system. He said that nexus of politicians, criminals and local businessmen often hijacked the local bodies system and worsened the situation instead of improving it.

Punjab Secretary Higher Education Abdullah Sumbal said that the government was really looking forward to the recommendations of the conference in the light of international experiences. He said that foreign experts from diverse political backgrounds were attending this crucial conference and they would discuss various forms of local representation of power in South Asia, their degree of success in providing public services and safety, their role in arbitration and adjudication, and issues like electoral process, administrative capacity, financial autonomy, and accountability of local governments.

Vice Chancellor Prof Rahman said that universities were not only meant for teaching knowledge, rather their more vital role was creation of new knowledge and working as think-tank on crucial national and international issues. He said that GCU would publish the proceedings of all its international conferences as per the best international standards for the welfare of common people.

Former Lahore High Court chief justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif also shared his experiences of contesting local bodies’ elections, and called upon the educated youth of Pakistan to participate in local politics for the development of their hometowns and motherland. He said it was unfortunate that local bodies’ elections were held in Pakistan in the era dictatorship only. He said that local bodies system would strengthen democracy if held under an elected government.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Khalid Manzoor Butt said that local bodies was a system which gave people representation at the grass root level and addressed issues of people at local level by the local people but unfortunately this system was at halt or weak in most of the developing countries of the world. He said that this system also groomed leadership for the provincial and national elections. He laid a stress that an efficient local bodies system be implemented in the country that helped orderly provision of goods and services at the grass root level.

As many 11 foreign experts are participating in three day conference besides government representatives and academicians from various universities across the country.