GOVERNANCE: Why local administration failed after Kashmir Quake 8/10

The rescue and relief operations would have been prompter, better organized and more effective in the earthquake-affected areas but for the decisions forced in recent past by bureaucrats and politicians.
Azad Kashmir was exempted when the new Local Government was introduced in 2001 because it would have reduced the powers of the bureaucrats running the territory. So, as under the colonial system, the Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners remained in place as ever and were supposed to deal with the emergency. They failed. One Assistant Commissioner told Imran Khan that he was “waiting for orders.” Another told a private television channel in detail what was needed but could not mention a single thing that he himself had done. One Deputy Commissioner included the tremendous job being done by the army in “our operations.”
On the other hand, the people’s representatives just do what they have to do. On the very first night after the earthquake, the Azad Kashmir Prime Minister, Sardar Sikandar Hayat, set up his camp office in a tent next to his devastated office, with no electricity, no phone, not even water.
Islamabad is also still under the colonial system because of resistance from bureaucrats. Capital Development Authority, which was supposed only to develop the territory, took over all other functions also. So, our federal capital, despite having a population of about one million, is still ruled by bureaucrats. It elects its representatives for Parliament but not for any Local Government. So, you know whom to blame for any lapses after the earthquake. And don’t expect any heads to roll over Margalla Towers.
The problem with the colonial system, as always, was that the bureaucrats only obeyed orders. They would not take any initiative, however noble, because the bosses could consider it “unauthorized.” For them, saving their skin has the highest priority. By contrast, the elected representatives in the Local Government system just do whatever is necessary. They can mobilize all resources, public or private, in emergencies.
Unfortunately, those in the affected areas of NWFP could not do their duty. Elsewhere in the country also, the relief operations were adversely affected. The reason was that the ambitious politicians, who had recently discovered the new Local Government system and wanted a smooth path to enter it, forced the removal of all Nazims (Zila, Tehsil, Union) well before the recent elections, creating a vacuum for almost four months. So, when the earthquake struck, the old ones were not there and the new ones had yet to assume office (on October 17). Meanwhile, the bureaucrats were running local administration all over the country.
The lessons are obvious.
a) Introduce the Local Government system in Azad Kashmir and Islamabad without further.
b) Always allow the people’s representatives to continue to work until the newly elected ones are ready to replace them.