Harassment at Work Place Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

After 18th amendment in the constitution of Pakistan many departments devolved to provinces including social welfare. Provinces were not ready to take that burden but slowly and gradually they started to take responsibility.
Harassment was an issue that also needed the attention. Law was passed at federal level but implementation was needed at the provincial level. After more than 8 long years fight from the social sector led by the Khuwando Kor's Khursheed Bano, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government decided to appoint their first ever women Ombudsperson.

Rakhshanda Naz hails from Baluchistan, studied in Rawalpindi and lived in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for many years became the first women Ombudsperson of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Having experience of more than 25 years in development and social sector, Naz worked for the empowerment of women and she already shown her intentions as Ombudsperson as well.
Rakhshanda Naz said that their will ne mo space for a person who shrunk the space for women at workplace, the code of conduct at each office should have been displayed and each woman will be encouraged to file a complaint.
Rakhshanda Naz said that law is very clear about the situation, if a person is found guilty he might lose his or her job, that person can be tranfered or demoted as well. Its not necessary that only a woman file the complaint, if a male employer feel harassed as workplace he can also lodge the complaint.

A woman Complaint could be against male of female person of her office too,  Naz added that providing secure work enviorment to the employees will be our target and we are starting from government offices. In the next phase private offices and then Bus stops including BRT will be our target.
Rakhshanda Naz requested development sector to become her strength and guide her through the challenging task.

Chess Competition In Peshawar

First of its kind, District chess competition held in Peshawar. Initially the championship was only to create awareness of the game among the locals but later on organizers decided to include players for other cities and also from major cities of the country.

76 players participated in the competition. Players were from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Dera Imail Khan, Chitral, Charsadda and Peshawar. 228 games were played in two days at Government College Peshawar.

International Player Saira Rafiq at Peshawar

International player Saira Rafiq who represented Pakistan in three different occasion at World Chess Olympiad, Common Wealth Games and Immature Asian Championship was also part of the tournament. Hails from Lahore Saira Rafiq was impressed with the management of the event. Saira Rafiq said that it was not a difficult decision to travel from Lahore to Peshawar but I must admit the facilities and environment we have in Peshawar is matchless across the country.

Bahawalnagar girl Mashaal Fatima told that she came far away just to prove the importance of the game. Girls should come and took participation in chess, its the game which give you mental strength, decision making power, holding your nerves even in tricky condition and also it makes you feel empowered. Mashaal Fatima insists to include chess in curriculum, this game can help our children to groom in many aspects.

Lawyer, Local Nazim and also President of Bar Council 46 Year old Khursheed Mughal Hussain is from Chitral. Chess still have roots in Polo loving nation. According to Khursheed Mughal Hussain his father and grand father used to play chess and love for chess is in his blood. He said that in daily routine he can not miss chess, after coming from office at 2 pm he must play chess for alsmot 3 to 4 hours and incenses his mental capability.

New Local Government System in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is the third largest province of Pakistan. In 2013 General Elections Imran Khan's political party Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) won majority of seats and made their first ever government. PTI promised strongest Local Government (LG) system in the province and on paper he did that too. In 2015 the Local Government Elections held and more than 42 thousand members were elected throughout the province.

Key Features of the PTI's Local Government System were

• 30 Percent Annual Development share of the province
• Smallest unit (Union Council) was divided further into Neighborhood and Village Councils (NC/VC)
• Three tier system was introduced (District, Tehsil/Town and NC/VC)
• 24 Offices devolved from Province to LG

KP's LG system was rated high among other provinces LG system. After wining 2018 General Elections Imran Khan made his way towards Prime Minister House and In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PTI became first ever party to govern the province for the second consecutive time. Imran Khan wished to bring same LG System across the country but unfortunately it couldn't happened but Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Punjab made it clear to the PM that baseline for LG system will be same in these provinces while Pakistan Peoples Party run Sindh will have a different LG setup.
For Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Government has almost finalized the changes for upcoming new LG System which might face strong resistance in near future.

Key Features of New Local Government System In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are

• First Ever LG Elections for Merged Districts (Ex Federally Administered Tribal Areas)
• Elimination of District Government tier
• Change in Provincial Finance Commission
• Change in Local Government Commission
• Peshawar will have different setup (One Urban Council, 4 Tehsil Councils)
• No of members reduced in NC/VC (5 to 6 Members, 2 General, 1 each for Woman, Peasant, Youth and Minority )
• Direct Elections for Nazim of Thesil
• Nazim of NC/VC will be the member of his Tehsil Council

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government is likely to table amendments in Local Govenrment Act 2013 by the end of March or first week of April. Election Commission of Pakistan already clarified that if Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government could not approve their amendments before 30th April 2019, ECP will start their work for LG elections according to the old act. KP Government have to pass the amendments before the 30 April and put the formal request to ECP for LG elections throughout the province. Tenure of the current LG system will expire on 28 August 2019 and according to the law ECP is bound to hold the election within 120 days after the expiry of current system.