Kamal calls for introducing chapter on local government in constitution

Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) Chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal on Saturday called for introducing a complete chapter on the local government system in the constitution so that no chief minister could interpret the constitution as per his or her desires.

He said the provincial rulers occupying power and resources had suspended the local government system with impunity.

According to him, rulers of the country for the last 72 years had been suppressing the people on political and economic fronts, as a result of which the people were left behind in terms of education, health and financial stability and as well as were mired in instability and lawlessness.

Kamal said the PSP wanted extensive constitutional reforms to move all the areas of Pakistan, which were deprived of basic amenities, forward on the path of development.

“If Pakistan is to move forward, there is an urgent need to amend the Article 140A of the constitution,” he remarked.

The PSP’s main objective was to make the people rulers, he said. “Once in the government, the PSP will transfer power and resources to the lowest level through the Provincial Financial Commission [PFC] award in such an ideal way that the people will automatically become rulers,” he maintained.

With the partial 18th Amendment, the chief ministers of the provinces occupied all the power and resources and it was up to them whether or not to provide resources to any district, he said.

“Without further amendments to the 18th Amendment, the powers and resources cannot reach the people at the lowest level,” Kamal said.

The PSP chairman stated that the PFC award should be launched. “Apart from making the PFC an integral part of the NFC

[National Finance Commission], the federal government should make sure to regularise local body elections which is the only way to restore the country's shattered economy, infrastructure, and social affairs,” he said.

Accusing the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan of devastating the already-suppressed Sindh by their ‘ethnic and prejudiced politics’, he said that such biased politics was in sheer violation of the constitution and basic human rights.