Punjab shares core features of future local govt framework

LAHORE: The Punjab government on Monday made public the basic tenets of the framework that will set the tone for the upcoming Local Government Bill 2025 after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) last week decided to hold the much-delayed polls in the province in the last week of December this year.

As far as the principles shared in the local government framework are concerned, each district would be divided into urban and rural areas, with every jurisdiction having its own defined territory, status and administrative powers announced through a notification.

Meanwhile, Punjab will have five categories of local government which are based upon the basic unit of union council — town, metropolitan corporation, municipal corporation, municipal committee and tehsil council.

POPULATION FACTOR

Urban areas are supposed to get local governments according to population and administrative requirements.

Any urban area with a population of over 0.2 million [200,000] could be declared as a municipal committee while those enjoying the status of district headquarters will be eligible to be a municipal committee or metropolitan corporation.

How to deal with the local governments in areas with less population has remained a challenge in the past, resulting in huge differences in the size of different units with similar administrative costs.

And this local framework suggests a solution: a tehsil with a population of less than 200,000 would be merged with the adjoining tehsil.

PERMANENT LEGAL STATUS

There is no point in raising an institution without resources and powers. That’s why the draft says every local government would be permanent institution with a legal status with powers to buy and sell its properties/assets and enter into agreements.

On the other hand, every local government will be authorised to move a court or/and defend itself before judiciary.

Meanwhile, dissolution, merger or reorganisation of any local government could not remain suspended for more than six months — a point added to ensure that legal challenges don’t impact their working and government decision-making.

HOLD ON! WHAT ABOUT THE UNION COUNCILS?

On this subject, the draft framework says the ECP would decide about the numbers and respective areas of union councils with the approval of Punjab government according to the latest population census figures.

Due different needs and population density, the union councils would be formed under two different principles in urban and rural areas: census blocks in the former and revenue department status in the latter.

However, the size of union councils [population-wise] and area would be kept similar to maintain balance.

THINGS CAN BE CHANGED

Meanwhile, the Punjab government can notify any change in the category or jurisdiction [area] anytime. For the purpose, the chief minister [Maryam Nawaz in the present case] has the authority to order formation of a new local government unit or modify/ change the existing one with respect to area.