Centre, provinces taken to task for pushing local govts back
LAHORE: Pakistan has failed for more than seven decades to establish an empowered, durable and democratically accountable third tier of government, while provincial governments have systematically withheld political, administrative and financial authority from elected local bodies, says a new report by a task force on local governance. The report, prepared by the BNU Centre for Policy Research…
A new report by the BNU Centre for Policy Research and the Sanober Institute has criticized Pakistan's failure to establish a robust third tier of government, while holding provincial governments responsible for withholding power from local authorities. The task force, which met from January to June 2026, found that none of the provinces has implemented Article 140-A of the Constitution, which mandates the devolution of power to local governments.
The report highlights a "zero-sum mentality" among higher tiers of government, marked by parallel administrative structures, appointment of bureaucrats as local administrators, and lack of fiscal transfers. It also criticizes Punjab's local government system, noting violations of Article 226 through the rejection of secret ballots for councils above the union council level, indirect elections for mayors and deputy mayors, and the absence of guaranteed minimum fiscal allocation.
The fiscal position of local governments has deteriorated, with their share of total government spending declining from around 10% in 2005 to less than 5% in 2024. The task force recommends constitutional amendments to give Article 140-A the specificity and enforceability of Article 160, as well as a model local government framework and direct elections for local representatives.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
