20000227

2 advisory boards constituted for LG, environment

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: The Minister for Environment and Local Government, Omar Asghar Khan, has constituted 14-member advisory board for environment and 10-member board for local government and rural development, following Cabinet directives.

The terms of reference of the advisory board for environment are to review and formulate environmental action plan, promote citizens' participation in the implementation of national conservation strategy and environment action plan, assist in the monitoring of environmental policies and actions, and strengthen partnership and collaboration between government agencies, the private sector and civil society so that there is effective implementation of government's environmental agenda.

The advisory boards for environment includes the following: Khalid Hussain, Chairman, Development Vision;Vaqar Zakaria, Managing Director, Hagler Bailly Pakistan; Dr Shahid Mahmood Zia, Research Fellow (Agriculture), Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI); Zafar A Khan, President, Engro Chemical Pakistan Ltd, PNSC; Mohammad Ali Shah, Convener, Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum; M Sikandar Brohi, Zabist Institute; Ashiq Ahmed, World Wide Fund for Nature Pakistan (WWF); Sardar Naseer Tareen, Chairman, Society for Torghar Environmental Protection; Ms Helga Ahmed, Chairperson, Initiatives for Rural and Sustainable Development; Dr Tahir Qureshi, Director, Coastal Eco System Unit, (IUCN); GM Khattak, Ex-Vice Chancellor; Dr Jamil Asghar, Project Manager SWEEP-RMC; Ayub Qutab, Executive Director, PIEDAR; and Malik Amin Aslam, environmental sepcialist.

The terms of reference of the advisory board for local government and rural development are: to review and formulate strategies and policies for rural development focusing on community participation: review and formulate policies for training of federal, provincial and local government officials, NGOs, CBOs in the fields of rural development, through co-ordination with the provinces; review and evaluate capacity of local councils for effective delivery of services and meet community needs; formulate policy for effective collaboration between communities and local councils; and development of strategies for bottom-up planning at village, district and regional levels so that community needs are reflected in the planning process.

The advisory board for local government and rural development includes: Tariq Hussain, Managing Director, Enterprise and Development Consulting (Pvt) Ltd; Abdul Shakoor Mirza, Co-ordinator, Community Development Concern; Ms Nigar Ahmed, Executive Director, Aurat Foundation; Dr Qurat-ul-Ain Bakhtiari, Director, Institute for Development Studies & Practices Pakistan; Ms Kausar S Khan, Associate Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences; Ms Rashida Doha, Senior Programme Officer, Asia Foundation; Ms Niaz Ahmed Kathia, President, Village Friends Organisation; Fayyaz Baqir, National Co-ordinator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Mushtaq Gadi, Principal Programme Co-ordinator, SUNGI Development Foundation; and Ms Shandana Khan, Manager (Social Sector), National Rural Support Programme (NRSP).

It may be noted that the Chief Executive General Pervaiz Musharraf has already approved the constitution of these advisory boards and the names of members included in these boards.