National News

MIRPUR (AJK): (APP): Ahead of the upcoming general elections-2016 in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, the civil society and youth
underscored the need of amendment in Act 1974 (Interim Constitution
of AJK) to bind the elected government of AJK to hold local bodies
elections.
This demand came up during a policy dialogue arranged in
Rawalakot city of AJK on Friday by Center for Peace, Development and
Reforms (CPDR) AJK-based training and research think tank wherein
participants demanded for youth and women empowerment in the local
bodies to ensure devolution of power to the grass roots.
Speaking on the occasion participants lauded the efforts of
CPDR and they expressed views that deliberate delay of successive
governments in holding local bodies elections have led to a
development deficit among different regions of the state which can
only be bridged through immediate transfer of power to the grass
roots.
Participants including Naib Ameer of Jamat e Islami Ejaz
Afzal, Ex Advisor Prime Minister and Pakistan People Party leader
Javaid Sharif PML-N leader Sardar Azeem, Executive Director Ershad
Mahmud, Ex-district President Jammu Kashmir People Party (JKPP)
Sardar Javid Nisar, young people, civil society members, lawyer and
academicians vociferously demanded the political representatives to
give the constitutional cover to the local bodies elections through
an amendment in Act 1974. The participants also demanded the
political parties to fix the time frame for local government
elections in case their party comes into power and ensure free and
transparent elections in AJK.
One of the key issues emerged out from the discussion was the
lack of spaces for young people to participate in active politics
and their continuous disengagement from the existing system.
It was demanded that at least 25 percent quota should be
allocated to young people in local government system to empower
young people.
While stressing the need to revive local government system,
it was demanded that political parties should not only revive the
local government but should ensure that it should have financial,
administrative and judicial empowerment to make it more effective
system.