Stakeholders have emphasised the urgent necessity for local government elections in Punjab and the delegation of authority to public representatives at the grassroots level.
The moot titled “Need and Importance of Immediate Elections to Local Government Institutions in Punjab” convened a diverse array of stakeholders, which included legal experts, politicians, parliamentarians, government officials, civil society representatives, academics, media professionals, and members from both urban and rural communities.
Notable attendees included Minister for Local Government and Community Development Zeeshan Rafique, Minister for Minorities and Human Rights Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, and Punjab Land Record Authority Chairman Chaudhary Tariq Subhani.
Following comprehensive discussions, participants called on authorities to speed up the electoral process so that elected local governments could begin operations within the upcoming year.
Moreover, participants highlighted the necessity for inclusive representation of marginalised groups, such as minorities, farmers, laborers, youth, individuals with disabilities, and transgender persons.
The forum dismissed the “show of hands” voting method and insisted that all local government elections be carried out via a secret ballot to guarantee transparency and credibility.
Prof Dr Amjad Magsi underscored the importance of a strong local government system in addressing everyday public concerns and ensuring effective service delivery at the grassroots level.
Participants such as Bushra Khaliq raised alarms regarding what she termed as insufficient representation of women within the proposed system. She argued that designating merely one reserved seat for women in Union Councils would not facilitate meaningful participation.
In the same line, Hina Noureen resonated with these concerns and suggested improving women’s representation to a minimum of three seats per Union Council, while advocating for an increase in the overall proportion of women in local bodies from 14 percent to between 25 and 33 percent.
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