Sukkur:Mayor Sukkur and Spokesperson for the Government of Sindh, Barrister Arsalan Islam Shaikh has clarified that an article published on the World Economic Forum (WEF) website regarding administrative restructuring in Pakistan is an individual opinion piece and does not represent the official policy or research of the WEF.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Barrister Arsalan said the article in question was authored by Miroslav Zafirov, Advisor to the Director General of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy in the United Arab Emirates, who holds no official position within the World Economic Forum.
‘Publication of an article on the WEF website should not be interpreted as an official recommendation, endorsement or policy position of the organisation,’ he said.
Barrister Arsalan stressed the need to read the article in its entirety and understand its arguments in proper context. He said that besides administrative structures, the article also highlights critical issues of local governance, public access to services, a strong local revenue mechanism, financial resources and accountability.
He said the focus of the debate should not merely be on increasing the number of administrative units, but on improving governance and ensuring effective delivery of essential services to citizens at their doorsteps.
He said that a strong local government system can play a vital role in resolving local issues, improving municipal services and empowering elected representatives at the grassroots level.
He said effective delivery of essential services – including water supply, drainage, sanitation, healthcare and education – required that local governments be equipped with meaningful administrative authority, adequate financial resources and a transparent accountability mechanism.
Barrister Arsalan said the Sindh government was working on measures to strengthen local government institutions, advance the mechanism for distribution of financial resources through the Provincial Finance Commission and improve the legal and administrative framework for an effective local government system.
Referring to the vision of the Pakistan Peoples Party, he said that under the guidance of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, a local government system promoting fiscal and administrative autonomy, appropriate delegation of powers and effective delivery of public services remained an important priority.
He stressed that discussions on administrative reforms in Pakistan should go beyond individual opinions and be guided by public needs, capacity of local governments, financial resources and practical requirements of good governance.
The fundamental objective of an effective local government system must be to resolve citizens’ problems and bring essential services to their doorsteps, he said, reiterating that the publication of an article on the WEF website should not in itself be construed as the organisation’s official policy or recommendation.