Local govts and democratic state - I

I may kindly be permitted to avail your precious space to point out an amazing situation in relation to the constitution of Pakistan and State. The absence of elected local governments in the country has turned the constitution dysfunctional and the State incomplete to that extent. The student unions and local governments are considered nurseries of democracy, but both are inoperative for long in our society. Pakistan's constitution 1973 stands on three pillars of the State - Judiciary, Legislature and Executive. Whereas the constitution further defines three tiers of governance like elected federal government and parliament, elected provincial government and assembly as well as elected local body and council. Thus, the elected local government is a mandatory component of the State. Unluckily, Pakistan lacks an elected local body for a considerable time. In the present situation, neither is the Constitution functional, nor is the State complete in respect of elected local governments; therefore, the situation is alarming.

(To be continued)

Mahfooz un Nabi Khan (Karachi)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021