Does Pakistan need a devolution of power?

topic:	Election
located:	Pakistan
editor:	Shadi Khan Saif

The quest for an authentic democratic system in Pakistan has stagnated.

Pakistan's heavily centralised state structure has gone unchallenged as major political parties gear up for the crucial election. Only a few are pitching the idea of local empowerment as an election slogan, but with little promise of meaningful actions and an even worse track record.

The government amended the constitution in 2018 to empower local governments and benefit local communities. The amendment, which pro-centralisation groups contested, improved the distribution of funds among different provinces, civil society and the press.

Given its rapidly increasing population and limited resources, devolving authority would improve service accessibility for Pakistan's communities, often far from state institutions.

The existing set-up of four provincial administrative units, one capital territory and two disputed regions for a population of over 200 million can barely do justice even by the local standards. There are around ten cities with populations of at least one million and two cities with populations of over ten million.

The current system fails to provide many people with adequate healthcare, education, jobs, and services.

Holding local authorities accountable would increase transparency and reveal how state resources are used by the central government, which is currently shrouded in secrecy.

The major political parties who are vocal about their democratic values oppose the establishment of more provinces and administrative units, fearing a loss of votes. However, they need to invest more thought and energy to explore the benefits of such a move. After all, empowering local governments in pursuit of a more accessible state is the essence of democracy.

The twenty-year-old Local Government Ordinance of 2001 could serve as a stepping stone for Pakistan to move forward and bring services closer to the homes of millions living away from the power quarters in the major cities.

Image by 12019.

Call to Action

Support the Progressive Student Collective in Pakistan