Parliamentarians had better concentrate on their basic job

In order to ensure good governance the government should take two steps on a priority basis. One concerns the devolution of power to the newly elected members of the Local Bodies in the true sense of the word and the second is related to the maintenance of law and order in Karachi.
Out of Taxpayers’money the government has incurred a whooping 3 billion and 80 crore rupees on the election to the Local Bodies of 95 districts of the country. This is helluva big amount. It would go down the drain if those elected to serve the masses at the grass root levels failed to deliver. There is no point now to continue with the payment of crore of rupees to the parliamentarians at the federal and provincial levels annually for carrying out so -called developmental activity in their political constituencies. This payment should be stopped now and instead that money should be placed at the disposal of the Local Bodies . The parliamentarians be asked to devote hundred percent of their attention to legislation which is their basic duty. Experience of hindsight reveals that our parliamentarians have not been taking keen interest in legislation which is needed in many fields for the good of the common man. More often than not the speakers of the Assemblies have to postpone sessions of assemblies because of lack of Quorum. It has also been observed that they have been interfering too much in appointments, postings and transfers of government servants which is none of their business. There is a need to strengthen and widen the scope and role of the office of the Auditor General of Pakistan also for strict monitoring and audit of the money that will be spent by the newly elected members of the Local Bodies on developmental activity in their respective jurisdiction. If experience be any guide a lot of financial mismanagement bordering on corruption had been noticed in the financial affairs of the Local Bodies that had come into being as a result of NRB’s recommendation during Musharraf’s era, therefore, it would be essential that a strict vigilance is kept on the financial affairs of the Local Bodies.