The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency � PILDAT held its first Legislative Capability-building Workshop for the Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) on the issue of Devolution Plan: Demarcation of Roles at Bhurban, Murree from 28-30 January 2003. The purpose of the workshop was to enhance the learning and understanding of the MNAs about the local government system, its related issues and develop and delineate a clear demarcation of roles between MNAs and local governments.

The workshop had twenty-nine (29) MNAs as participants belonging to various political parties represented in the parliament as well as five (5) resource persons dealing with different aspects of the subject. The workshop enjoyed intense interaction by participants on various aspects of the subject. There was a unanimous agreement that the Local Bodies System is good for the country and should be allowed to run independently and freely in all districts of the country. However, MNAs disagreed with each other as to whether or not they should have a role in the development and administration in their constituencies alongside district nazims: a majority of MNAs believed they should have a role in their districts, especially on the spending of development funds, postings and transfers, while another group, albeit smaller in number, believed MNAs� involvement in local governments will be tantamount to destroying the local government system.

The participants of the workshop termed the workshop as a comprehensive learning experience which not only presented various perspectives of the issue, enhancing their understanding, but also provided a platform of dialogue across party lines which defused their distinct party positions and enabled them to discuss the issue of crucial importance as one group