SIALKOT: A two-day training workshop on “Inclusive, efficient, transparent and accountable local government system” was organised by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) Baidarie, here on Monday.
The NGO, under its programme for strengthening democratic local governance in district Sialkot, arranged the workshop for knowledge building of the potential election contestants in the district. A group of 26 potential male and female contestants attended the training. Participants also included non-Muslims, peasants/ workers and physically disabled persons.
Trainer Shahzad Bukhari conducted the session. Participants were provided with the insights on (1) essential characteristics of “Inclusive, efficient, transparent and accountable local government system”, (2) Roles and responsibilities of democratically elected representatives in effective and efficient functioning of local government system, (3) General duties of local government institutions with particular reference to (i) designing, executing and monitoring local development schemes (ii) provision of quality municipal services and (iii) addressing people’s grievances, (4) Ensuring representation of vulnerable social segments in formation and functioning of local government institutions (5) Provision of facilitation in issuance of CNICs and voter registration (6) Modus operandi of objective and effective electioneering campaign (7) Motivating everyone to exercise every ones’ right to vote (8) Increasing women voters’ turn out during elections to local government institutions.
Assistant Commissioner (AC) Sambrial Haider Abbas Raja was the chief guest during certification ceremony.
Guests of honor included ex-chairman Municipal Committee Sambrial Qaiser Ameen, Deputy Director Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal Muhammad Sharif Ghumman, Executive Director Baidarie Arshid Mehmood Mirza and Vice President Baidarie Hina Noureen.
Ex-Chairman Municipal Committee Sambrial Qaiser Ameen said that during his tenure, there were total 124 council members in Sialkot district and only 20-25 of them were active and had the information about the rules.
Executive Director Baidarie Arshid Mehmood Mirza said that either during general election or the local elections, people should cast their votes to the genuine public representatives.
Later, Vice President Baidarie Hina Noureen hosted the certificate distribution ceremony.