The Forum was organised by PILDAT in collaboration with the UNDP. The Forum was moderated by Mr Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, President PILDAT, while speakers included Mr Ali Asghar Sial, Joint Provincial Election Commissioner, (Elections) Sindh, Mr Kaiser Ishaque, Assistant Resident Representative UNDP-Pakistan, Mr Ali Al-Bayati, Chief Technical Adviser, SELP UNDP and Ms Aasiya Riaz, Joint Direc-tor, PILDAT. A representative of the Sindh Local Govt Department joined the consultation as an observer.
While speaking, Mr Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, President PILDAT, said that the system of democratic governance is incomplete without effective devolution of financial and administrative powers to the local tier. PILDAT has been advocating for re-forms for effective devolution of powers to local governments.
Ms Aasiya Riaz, Joint Director PILDAT, presented a rationale on the need for effec-tive local government system in Pakistan as well as a comparative analysis of the current system of local governments in place across 4 provinces of Pakistan.
Mr Ali Asghar Sial, Joint Provincial Election Commissioner, (Elections) Sindh, said that the ECP is prepared to hold local government elections in keeping with their constitutional responsibility. He shared that the delimitation process in Sindh is nearing completion and will be finalised by March 24. The final schedule of Local Government elections in Sindh will be announced soon after by the ECP in consul-tation with the Sindh government.
Former Governor Sindh, Lt Gen (Retd) Moinuddin Haider said that it is the political parties that have failed to institute a system of effective local governments despite constitutional obligations. He believed that Article 6 of the Constitution should be applicable to successive provincial governments for violating Constitution on Local Government system.