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A COMFORT — in substance — is to be drawn from the way President Pervez Musharraf has taken a good look vis-à-vis the style the Local Governments have been functioning in what has been the very initial stage. There is little doubt that the elected local outfits have had some hiccups. Nothing is surprising in that. Every key new try-out is liable to encounter some unforeseeable turbulence as it moves on in unfamiliar territory. By and large, the Local Governments have not done shoddily—but, by a pragmatic outlook—in a zestful style. One must concede straightaway that there is much that one learns by experience as one goes along.

What emerges from that interaction at the Nazim’s meeting with the President--in Lahore—recently is that there is general satisfaction over the ground traversed so far. On the job, as it were, the Nazims have learned their lessons. So have others concerned, notably the Provincial Governments’ bureaucracy. At the outset, the two were more or less strangers. Now they have become acquainted and should be able to see the facts on the ground with a great deal more of realism.  There is no clash of interests of any kind at all. Just as the spheres of jurisdiction are distinct as between the Federal and Provincial Governments, so is the clear-cut equation between the Provincial and Local Governments.

No doubt, a certain amount of funds is to flow from the provincial exchequers to local coffers. It should be possible to work that out. If there was any lack of clarity, it should be removed now—explicitly—when the President has unequivocally made it clear that the Chief Ministers of the Provinces are the effective executive heads of both, the provincial set-ups and the ones at the local tier.

Every-one should, thus feel confident in assuming that a rock-hard, virtuous n’ upright way stands paved for smooth n’ silky working of the local and provincial administrations, with the CMs there to unravel any knots that need unravelling. At the same time, an all-out attention to the basic needs of LGs is—no-doubt a pivotal requires—to facilitate the Nazim’s recurrent calls to evaporate delays in release of funds for their development schemes—with sound n’ solid sketches, reflecting the aspirations of their environs.

Though the President did point out that a sum of Rs 64.5 billion has already been released—yet, keeping in view the essential needs of the masses, much more required to done to make the local governments able achieve their set cherished goals. The implication appears to be apparent that more would be forthcoming—keeping in view the enormous significance of the fabulous set-ups. All Nazims in the country are ought to note that the President has eulogized the way Local Governments have performed in the Punjab Province.

Here is an example and a model. Would the Government of Punjab consider the idea of enabling teams of Nazims from other Provinces to visit some model Union Councils in Punjab? It would not be a problematic notion if a system of frequent interaction is developed among the Nazims from various Provinces—to work hands-in-gloves. This can perhaps better be done from the Federal level. But Punjab can—simultaneously—try on its own initiative, as prima facie it would eventually prove to be the most apposite course of inter-provincial cohesion—to be marked by the national solidarity, splendour with affluence—for every-one on the dazzling realm n’ soils of Pakistan.

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