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Reference ID	Created	Released	Classification	Origin
10LAHORE18	2010-02-05 08:10	2011-08-30 01:44	CONFIDENTIAL	Consulate Lahore

VZCZCXRO7240
OO RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHLH #0018/01 0360810
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 050810Z FEB 10
FM AMCONSUL LAHORE
TO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE 5000
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4302
INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 0542
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 0240
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 0922
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI IMMEDIATE 2204
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR IMMEDIATE 1882
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 5470

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAHORE 000018 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  2/5/2020 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PK
SUBJECT: PUNJAB AMENDS 2001 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ORDINANCE 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Carmela A. Conroy, Consul General, U.S. Consulate 
General Lahore, Department of State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
¶1. (C) Summary: The Punjab Assembly passed an amendment on 
February 4 to replace current district nazims with 
"administrators" appointed by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif 
until local elections are held.  Meanwhile, the provincial 
cabinet is discussing a new ordinance that would basically 
return the Punjab local government system to the pre-Musharraf 
days, over opposition party objections.  Local elections will 
likely not be held before September, if ever.  End Summary. 
 
Two-Part Process: Amend Now, Bill Later 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) An amendment on local governments featured prominently 
in the Punjab Provincial Assembly, which commenced its first 
session of 2010 on January 20.  Punjab Law Minister Rana 
Sanaullah Khan told PolOff that the Assembly would amend the 
existing 2001 Local Government Ordinance (LGO) to replace the 
current local district nazims with "administrators."  Punjab 
Minister for Local Government Dost Muhammad Khosa added that the 
amendment would also create a Punjab Election Authority, which 
would take oversight of local elections from the federal 
Pakistan Election Commission.  The amendment was introduced in 
the Assembly on January 28 and passed on February 4.  Meanwhile, 
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif's cabinet is discussing a 
new Punjab LGO to define the administrators' authority and 
responsibilities.  Khosa is optimistic that the new LGO bill 
will be introduced to the Assembly in its spring session. 
 
Nazims Out, Administrators In 
----------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) The amendment currently passed contains the only 
provisions that the provincial coalition cabinet has agreed to 
and approved.  Consequently, this amendment passed because it 
has the support of coalition member parties the Pakistan Muslim 
League - Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). 
Details of the new administrators' authority have yet to be 
fully worked out by the coalition.  The existing District 
Coordination Officers (DCO), appointed by Shahbaz Sharif, will 
be retitled as administrators until local elections are held, 
according to Khosa. 
 
Pre-Musharraf with a Little Devolution 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) The proposed LGO will likely be a return to the 
pre-Musharraf local government system with some of the "good" 
features of the current and outgoing district nazim system, 
according to Khan.  He highlighted the new LGO's three likely 
main features.  First, because of the current law and order 
situation, the District Police Officer (DPO) will report to the 
provincial government, instead of the local administrator. 
Second, the Punjab government will determine and closely monitor 
the budgets of local administrators.  Third, urban populations 
within a district will be governed by a separate administrator 
("lord mayor" or "mayor").  Note: These three provisions were in 
place in the pre-Musharraf local government system.  End Note. 
However, some of the authority devolved to local governments in 
the current LGO would remain.  They include primary school 
education, basic health units, agriculture, and revenue 
collection, according to Khosa. 
 
Local Elections: Fall 2010 - Maybe? 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) The currently proposed amendment provides that the Punjab 
government has no more than 180 days to announce the date of 
local elections.  Khosa, however, believes that the current law 
and order situation will be cited as a reason to delay them. 
Khan confided elections would be no earlier than September 2010, 
while Khosa hesitated to say whether elections would ever be 
held.  Opposition parties have already begun opposing the idea 
of a Punjab Elections Authority, fearing it would be too under 
the control of the Sharifs' PML-N.  Comment:  Their fear may 
well be justified, as PML-N contacts have informed Lahore PolOff 
that a retired Lahore High Court judge has been identified to 
head the new Punjab Elections Authority. 
 
Opposition Criticizes Bill, Stands to Lose 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶6. (U) According to media reports, Pakistan Muslim League (PML) 
 
LAHORE 00000018  002 OF 002 
 
 
party leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Punjab Assembly 
opposition leader Chaudhry Zaheer-ud-Din (also PML) spoke out 
against the amendment.  Note: The Pakistan Muslim League - 
Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) ceased to exist in 2004 when it merged with 
the National Alliance, the PML-Z, and the PML-Jinnah to form the 
PML.  End Note.  Elahi claims that the Shahbaz Sharif's 
administration does not want local elections and will misuse 
local funds.  Note: Most of the current and outgoing local 
district nazims are PML affiliated.  End Note. 
 
¶7. (C) Comment: The PML-N stands to be the clear winner in a 
return to the pre-Musharraf local governance system in the 
Punjab, given its head start in the appointment of local 
administrators.  PML's fears of no local elections may prove 
true in the near-term, as their delay only prolongs Shahbaz's 
direct control of local governments for the time being. 
Consequently, this will further entrench and grow the PML-N's 
political support base in the province.  It remains to be seen 
if this will translate into better or worse services for the 
population.  End Comment. 
CONROY

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Viewing cable 10LAHORE18, PUNJAB AMENDS 2001 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ORDINANCE