Municipal elections, youth, women should be effectively represented, all parties dialogue

Rawalkot (Dharti News, Staff Reporter) Leadership and Civil of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference. The representatives of the society unanimously welcomed the holding of local body elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir by the end of November this year. Addressing an All-Party Dialogue on the Role of Women and Youth in Local Government Systems organized by the Center for Peace, Development and Reforms (CPDR) and supported by UNDP, political leaders called for an effective and financial has demanded an empowered local government. In this event, experts from various sectors, government representatives, private sector, youth, women, journalists and civil society proposed important policy recommendations on the empowerment of youth and women through local elections. Speaking on the occasion, SDGs Azad Kashmir Coordinator Syed Ali Hasnain Geelani highlighted the progress made on sustainable development goals in the region. He said that the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals aims to address poverty, hunger, food security, health, education, clean drinking water and sanitation, gender equality, promoting innovation, providing decent employment, environmental sustainability, strong institutions and There are other issues to overcome. He said that the local government system is the soul of democracy and without it no concept of a democratic system is possible. Former government minister and PPP leader Sardar Abid Hussain Abid said that all political parties should have a training system to guide the youth. Car should be designed so that programs on areas like legislation, good governance, gender empowerment, accountability and conflicts. He suggested that elected councilors should be given reasonable remuneration and also be given administrative powers. Prominent businessman Sardar Shazeeb Khan said that the local governments have to establish a system of taxes at the local level to generate their own resources. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf District Poonch President Sardar Aurangzeb Khan said that the PTI government will hold elections because it is in line with Imran Khan’s political thinking. Sardar Azhar Nazar, president of Poonch district of the Muslim Conference, said that new leadership will emerge in the municipal election, which will end the current political status quo. Parties should ensure that seats reserved for youth and women are given to genuine political candidates and not distributed among their relatives. He further said that the economic development and social harmony of Azad Jammu and Kashmir will not be achieved without devolution of power to the grassroots level and empowerment of the local community. CPDR Executive Director Irshad Mehmood said in his speech that Azad Jammu and Kashmir experienced a massive earthquake in 2005 and is now facing the challenges of climate change. Elected local government representatives can play an important role in climate change adaptation and mitigation processes. Elected councilors are familiar with local issues and ground realities and have strong links with local communities. He said that the political and economic structure of Azad Kashmir will change completely with the local body elections. Ms. Aniqa Aziz said that women should be fully represented in the local body system and give them a way to play a role in development and social affairs. should be smoothed. Ms. Mona Khan said that the political system is incomplete without the participation of women. Prof. Kausar Hussain Shah suggested organizing more seminars and dialogues to inform different sections of the society about the roles and functions of local representatives. Sardar Abid Siddique, Rashid Nazeer, Saqib Khan, Waseem Azam, Abdul Razzaq, Ejaz Abbasi, Riyaz Shahid, Dr. Muhammad Naeem, Saud Iftikhar, Arteza Muhammad, Sardar Shahdarsheed and Sangatullah also addressed the event.