Muqaami daak

We're Pakistan's 1st blog on all things local by Dehleez. We're all about fresh ideas, diverse perspectives, and innovative solutions. At Muqaami Daak, we're focused on issues related to governance and sustainable development in rural and urban communities.

We are constantly on the lookout for contributors who can bring fresh ideas, nuanced perspectives, and innovative solutions to the table. At Muqaami Daak, we understand the critical role that local governments play in shaping the future of communities, both rural and urban. That’s why we are looking for writers who can cover topics related to sustainable development, with a particular focus on scalable and replicable solutions for communities in the developing world.

It is needless to say that public transport is fundamental to sustainable urban development and the prosperity of cities. However, Pakistani cities lack a decent and affordable public transport system. This is despite the fact that the country is rapidly urbanising with a growing demand for safe, efficient, affordable and accessible public transport systems.

Lahore, a megacity and the cultural capital of Pakistan is currently grappling with a severe environmental crisis. Recent findings from Urban Unit Punjab’s report titled “[Sectoral Emissions Inventory of Lahore]” indicate that cars are the primary culprits behind the city’s alarming air pollution levels. With 83.15% of the city’s pollution stemming from the transport sector, Lahore ranks as the third-worst city globally for air quality.

Cities are profoundly influenced by how people move around to go about their daily lives. This impact of transportation on cities and the way we live can be best understood by looking back at how innovation in transportation influenced urban development.

In collaboration with The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Dehleez
conducted a session titled “Local Government: A Panacea” at EconFest on 12th
March 2023.
The session was moderated by Project Director Dehleez, Ahmad Iqbal, and the
panelists included Professor Dr. Saeed Shafaqat, Ammar Ali Jan (Historian and
Political Activist, Haqooq-e-Khalaq Movement), Mary James Gill (Former MPA
Punjab Assembly), and Rana Hamza Ijaz (Senior Program Officer USIP).

One of the most common sights in Pakistan is children playing in the streets. This is something that we love and cherish as a society, but it also points to a sad reality – there are not enough grounds or public spaces around for children to play. The lack of public spaces and playgrounds in Pakistan is a serious issue that affects not only children but also young adults and the elderly.

The Election Commission of Pakistan on Monday postponed the by-elections scheduled to be held on April 18 in over 90 union committees/councils in 26 districts of Sindh, including 11 in Karachi division, due to Ramazan.

A panel discussion on the topic ‘Urbanization and Local Governance’ was conducted by Dehleez in collaboration with Beaconhouse National University’s Razia Hassan School of Architecture (RHSA) on March 13th, 2023. 

Local government bodies across Punjab have had their powers limited to carrying out maintenance and repairs of the most essential nature works, with each local government body tasked to immediately send details of its bank deposits and liabilities to the Punjab Local Government and Community Development Department.

Cities around the world are demolishing their existing urban freeways, which were built during the era of urban sprawl. These highways were initially designed to connect suburbs with downtown areas, with the goal of facilitating car-centric transportation.

Access to clean drinking water is a basic human right, but unfortunately, many people in Punjab, Pakistan, struggle with this fundamental necessity. The quality of drinking water in Punjab has rapidly deteriorated due to a range of factors, including pollution, chemicals, and microbial contamination. Water-borne diseases are common in Punjab, and they pose a significant risk to public health.

Islamabad, 22nd June 2023 – The SDG Secretariat situated at the National Assembly of Pakistan, in collaboration with Dehleez (Pakistan Local Democracy Dialogue), successfully conducted a groundbreaking “Consultative Session on Strengthening Article 140-A that governs Local Governments in Pakistan” on 20th June 2023. This session marked the first of its kind workshop on local governments to be held at the National Assembly.

Unplanned urbanization in developing countries has led to the formation of megacities, but their capacity to manage such vast urban areas often remains questionable. One of the significant outcomes of unplanned urbanization is pluvial flooding, a problem that has been increasingly observed in developing countries worldwide. Lahore, a megacity in Pakistan, has been grappling with the devastating impacts of urban flooding every monsoon season.

The local government employees of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) are scheduled to go on a strike across the province and protest in Peshawar on Sept 20 to press for their demands for the resolution of issues, including the personal ledger accounts (PLA).

#localgovernment #election #urbandevelopment #ruraldevelopment #communitydevelopment #dehleez

The Supreme Court of Pakistan, led by Chief Justice Faiz Esa, has sent a notice to the Attorney General regarding the Karachi Cantonement Board’s attempt to impose additional taxes on various professional sectors, including restaurants, banks, and poultry businesses.

There’s a stark contrast between Rawalpindi and Islamabad — the twin cities — in the quantity and quality of public parks. Talking about parks in Islamabad would immediately remind most of F-9/ Fatima Jinnah Park, Margalla Park, Shakar Parian, Lake View Park, Rose & Jasmine Garden, Kachnar Park, Japanese Park, and an endless list of others worthy of mention. But in Rawalpindi the one that can singlehandedly challenge all of Islamabad’s parks combined is… Ayub National Park.

Road traffic crashes pose a serious threat to human lives, capital, and economic growth. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), road traffic crashes claim the lives of approximately 1.3 million people each year, and non-fatal injuries affect 20 to 50 million individuals, with many of them resulting in disability. These losses are more conspicuous in middle and low-income countries that account for 93 percent of the world’s road fatalities.

In an era dominated by electric vehicles and digital devices, Pakistan must reassess its energy consumption and develop a comprehensive plan that aligns with the demands of a functioning economy. However, the current approach seems to underestimate the complexity of the situation within the country. Similarly, heavy reliance on hydropower in the face of climate change and water shortages raises concerns about sustainability.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has reportedly withheld the release of its allocated share of Rs63 billion in development funds to local bodies for nearly two years, causing a standstill in the local government system. This situation has left the members of the two-tier local government, consisting of tehsil and village and neighborhood councils, unable to initiate any development projects since they came into power through elections held in December 2021 and March 2022.

The political situation in Pakistan has become extremely chaotic. The drama unfolding in Zaman Park over the past few days is part of a broader anti-establishment push which shows no signs of abating till the next bout of general elections. The dissolution of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provincial assemblies, the contention surrounding the President’s unanimous decision to hold fresh elections in these provinces, are also major challenges.

In the bustling slums of South Asia, where over a quarter of the urban population resides, the harsh realities of environmental degradation and climate change are acutely affecting community development. Amid the crowded alleyways and precarious dwellings, it is the women who bear the brunt of these environmental challenges, facing disproportionate impacts compared to their male counterparts.

Local governments can be an essential vehicle for democratization. They bring politics to the grassroots, helping end dynastic politics and strengthen democracy.

Local governance is an essential component of a democratic system. It decentralizes power to the grassroots level and brings socio-economic development projects directly to people’s doorsteps.

The current study argues that a lack of democratic participation at the local level results in widespread corruption in tehsils/talukas and union councils. This is because local elites benefit from an illiterate and poverty-ridden population.