If there is will, there is way!

Balochistan is the only province in Pakistan, which has, despite all odds, completed the process of Local Government (LG) elections. Dr Abdul Malik, Chief Minister and his cabinet deserve to be congratulated on the completion of this gigantic task. Balochistan has proved that where there is a will, there is way. However, this will is lacking in all other three provinces where popular big political parties are governing such as in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Sindh. The blame is on the superior court, which ordered the Election Commission (EC) for delimitation of constituencies, though this task is purely that of the government. As a result, the election is resting in the court of the election commission of Pakistan. However, the question remains: will the EC manage to conduct the delimitation of constituencies exercise? Personally, I do not think that EC is in position to complete this exercise and it will take months to achieve results.

On the other side, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have got an excuse of delimitation exercise and are blaming EC for the delays. These three parties are not sincere about LG elections because they may lose urban and rural areas of their power. PPP will lose more in Sindh and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) may win all urban centres. PML-N may lose Lahore and other parts of Punjab and similarily, PTI might lose Peshawar due to its inability of governing effectively. In this whole scenario, only the EC can do proper and timely exercise to conduct LG elections.

Balochistan will now gradually be able to face local crisis and emerge successful. Sindh is also facing a similar situation but political parties in Sindh are not sincere when it comes to LG elections. The issue remains the same; where is the nation heading? Why is the third most important tier of governance missing?

I hope EC will force provincial governments to conduct LG elections as soon as possible. LG elections are a must before the general elections and this local government election exercise will further strengthen devolution of power and the national action plan to face terrorism.

— The reader is a Pakistani development consultant based in Karachi, Pakistan