Strong local govts essential for democratic stability: PA Speaker

He observed that local institutions in Pakistan had been unable to perform their effective role due to the concentration of powers at the provincial level. He said strengthening local governments was essential to completing the democratic system envisaged under the Constitution of 1973.

Devolution of powers, he added, was not merely an administrative requirement but a fundamental aspect of citizens’ participation in governance. Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan said Pakistan’s administrative structure continued to retain features of the colonial system and stressed the need for making governance more responsive to public needs, enabling citizens to take meaningful decisions about local affairs.

He said effective local autonomy and public representation were vital for national cohesion, adding that empowered local governments could address grievances arising from resource constraints and a sense of deprivation by resolving public issues closer to citizens. The speaker said members belonging to various political parties in the Punjab Assembly had jointly contributed to efforts to strengthen local governance.

He disclosed that more than 80 members had voluntarily expressed their willingness to join the Parliamentary Caucus on Local Governments.