Workshop: Capacity Building Workshop for Newly Contesting Candidates on Sindh Local Government Elections-SLGE 2022 in Sindh
Date: June 17, 2022
Venue: Community Hall-Sukkur

Transparency international Pakistan in collaboration with NARI Foundation arranged a Capacity Building Workshop for Newly Contesting Candidates on Sindh Local Government Elections – SLGE 2022 in District Sukkur Sindh. A total of 47 participants including male and female, who are also contesting local government election for UC Chairman, Vice Chairman, General Councilor from different areas, Women Councilors, Labor Councilors and aspirants for Women Special seats, participated in the workshop from District Sukkur.

The objective of the session was to create awareness among the participants regarding contesting in local government election and to raise awareness among the citizens and the voters about different positions, how to vote, highlighting roles and responsibilities of the contesting candidates and citizens in line with the guidelines of the Election Commission of Pakistan. The participants were also informed about the campaigning ethics during the local government elections and participation of the community.

The workshop formally started at 09:30am with the recitation of the verses from the Holy Quran. During the icebreaking session conducted by Mr. Anwar Ali Executive Director National Advocacy for Rights of Innocents – NARI Foundation Sukkur, all the participants introduced themselves.

Thereafter, Mr. Hyder Ali, Social and Political activist, shared his views with the participants on the topic of “Democracy, Decentralization and the Need for Effective Local Governments”. He argued that the local governance system is basically a very well settled system which is empowering people to get their rights at the grassroots level. The meaning of a decentralized system is to break down the power structure at grassroots level, where local elected members address the local problems.

After that, Mr. Shafique Ahmed Khoso, Advocate District Court Sukkur spoke about the “Roles and Responsibilities of Elected representatives as per LG Ordinance 2021”. He briefly shared the responsibilities of the elected representatives as:

• Planning, development and maintenance of intra district roads, bridges, street lights, drains and water supply.
• Development and maintenance of parks, fire brigade, execution of special development programs and public welfare schemes.
• Local Councils may enter into public private partnerships for undertaking any commercial and business enterprise.
• Registration and computerization of data regarding births and deaths, marriages and divorces.

After Mr. Khoso, Ms. Sughran Sahito, Advocacy Officer, Education and Livelihood Support Program (ELSP) discussed in detail the “Guidelines of ECP for newly contesting candidates in Local Government”. She highlighted that the purpose of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s general guidelines is to conduct free and fair elections. These guidelines should be understood by the candidates as well as the voters.

Moving on, Ms. Shazia Abbasi, Program Officer NARI Foundation shared her views with the participants about Campaigning Ethics. She said that the campaign ethics are the foundation of political success. A candidate who does not have a better contesting strategy, a vision, and a righteous manifesto to contest election can never win the hearts of the people. She shared that in the democracy, ethics include respecting others and opponents, accepting the democratic right of others while conducting meetings, sessions, rallies and other activities like corner gatherings.

At the end of the workshop, Q/A session was held. Participants asked various questions from the speakers and shared their perspectives. The workshop was followed by refreshment for the participants.