Pakistan is among the countries whose Constitution recognises local government as the third tier of governance. Yet, despite this constitutional provision, an effective and empowered local government system remains largely absent.
After years of struggle, provincial autonomy was achieved through the 18th Amendment in 2010. The next step must be to devolve power from the provinces to the people. Article 140-A of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973, requires each province to establish a local government system and devolve political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority to elected local representatives.
However, in 2026, local governments in many parts of the country remain absent, suspended or deprived of meaningful authority. This is not merely an administrative issue; it is a question of governance, equality and democratic accountability.
Local governments bring decision-making closer to ordinary citizens, improve access to public institutions and enable elected representatives to respond directly to community needs. Effective local governance can particularly improve essential services such as healthcare, education, sanitation, drinking water and roads.
Given Pakistan’s geographical diversity, rapid urbanisation and ethnic and linguistic differences, devolution is essential. Unfortunately, provincial governments have often been reluctant to share power, fearing that empowered local representatives could become competing centres of political authority.
1. A Look at History: At independence, Pakistan inherited a colonial bureaucratic structure designed primarily for control rather than participatory governance.
Field Marshal Ayub Khan later introduced the Basic Democracies system, while General Pervez Musharraf introduced a local government framework that gave elected representatives funds and responsibilities for development projects. This enabled local representatives to address certain community needs directly.
However, successive democratic governments have often struggled to sustain effective devolution, possibly because provincial leadership has been reluctant to transfer authority and resources to another elected tier.
Consequently, provincial governments have become responsible for matters that could be managed more efficiently at the local level. In Punjab, for example, provincial leadership faces demands ranging from major policy decisions to municipal problems involving streets and drainage. In Sindh, even routine municipal matters can depend on provincial-level decisions.
This excessive centralisation burdens provincial administrations and weakens local accountability.
2. Why Does Pakistan Need Devolution?
A. Addressing Local Needs: The federal government in Islamabad cannot independently meet the needs of a population exceeding 240 million. Clean drinking water, primary healthcare, education, sanitation and local roads are fundamentally local concerns.
Pakistan faces serious human development challenges, including millions of out-of-school children, high infant mortality and deteriorating urban sanitation. Centralised management alone cannot effectively address these problems.
Empowered local authorities could monitor schools, identify non-functional or so-called ghost schools and hold relevant officials accountable. Similarly, locally managed health facilities could respond more effectively to community needs.
B. Karachi: The Case for Empowered Local Government: Karachi, one of Pakistan’s most important economic centres, continues to face major challenges involving waste management, transport, water supply and urban planning.
A significant problem is the fragmentation of authority among institutions such as the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Defence Housing Authority (DHA), cantonment boards and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB), alongside other agencies.
When institutions answer to different authorities, coordination becomes difficult and accountability is weakened. Citizens often struggle to determine which institution is responsible for resolving a particular problem.
Pakistan should examine the experiences of cities such as London, Istanbul and Jakarta, adapting relevant lessons to local conditions. Karachi needs a coherent metropolitan governance system in which an elected mayor and local institutions possess meaningful authority over key municipal functions, supported by adequate funding and accountability.
C. Fiscal and Regional Disparities: Political and administrative devolution cannot succeed without financial resources. The National Finance Commission (NFC) determines the distribution of resources between the federal government and the provinces. However, the distribution of funds within provinces is equally important.
Provincial Finance Commissions (PFCs) are intended to help distribute provincial resources among districts, towns and local councils. Without effective and transparent fiscal transfers, local governments cannot fulfil their responsibilities.
Giving local representatives administrative duties without providing adequate funds makes devolution ineffective. Financial authority must therefore accompany political and administrative responsibility.
3. Benefits of Devolution
Greater Accountability: Ordinary citizens may find it difficult to approach members of the National or Provincial Assembly. Union council representatives are generally closer to their communities and more accessible.
Residents should be able to question their elected representatives about broken roads, water shortages, sanitation and the performance of local schools and health facilities. This proximity makes accountability more practical.
Inclusive Democracy
Local government creates opportunities for women, minorities, young people and other underrepresented groups to participate in public decision-making. Reserved seats and other inclusion measures, where provided under applicable laws, can broaden representation.
Grassroots institutions can also provide opportunities for emerging political leaders to gain experience and serve their communities. Democracy becomes stronger when citizens participate not only nationally but also at the neighbourhood and district levels.
Economic Development and Employment
Local economic development depends on reliable infrastructure, accessible markets, roads and facilities for businesses and small industries. These priorities cannot be addressed effectively through centralised decision-making alone.
Empowered local governments can identify local needs, improve infrastructure, support small businesses and help attract investment. Better services and facilities can encourage economic activity and employment.
Moreover, when local institutions manage municipal matters, provincial and national assemblies can concentrate on legislation, policy and wider economic challenges.
Conclusion: Fulfil the Promise
Experiences in countries such as Indonesia and Turkey offer useful lessons about decentralisation, although their systems and outcomes differ. Effective devolution requires clearly defined responsibilities, adequate funding, institutional capacity and accountability.
Pakistan must now fulfil the promise of the 18th Amendment in letter and spirit. Provincial autonomy was an important constitutional achievement, but democracy cannot stop at the provincial level.
Local governments need clearly defined powers, reliable financial resources and the capacity to deliver essential services. Devolution should not be viewed as a threat to provincial governments; it should be recognised as a way to strengthen governance and make democracy more responsive.
Devolution is not merely an administrative reform. It is a commitment to strengthening Pakistan from the grassroots up.
