LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN PAKISTAN | A HISTORICAL

PERSPECTIVE

DECENTRALIZATION IS A POPULAR THEME OF THE MODERN

WORLD. IT IS BEING WIDELY ACCEPTED AS A SYMBOL OF
GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLITICAL MODERNIZATION AS
WELL AS AN INDICATOR OF THE QUALITY OF DEMOCRATIC
PROCESS. INDEED, A DEMOCRACY WORKS WHEN ALL
PEOPLE INCLUDING THE MOST MARGINALISED ONES
PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS OF GOVERNANCE , HAVE
CAPABILITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AND SEEK ACCOUNTABILITY .
FOR THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES, IT IS AN INDISPENSABLE
PRE-CONDITION FOR SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL
DEVELOPMENT , STABILITY AND NATIONAL UNITY.

INTRODUCTION

A TRUE DEMOCRATIC SETUP HAS, AS ITS INTEGRAL PART, AN

EFFICIENT, EFFECTUAL AND TRANSPARENT SYSTEM OF LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS WHICH , ON ONE HAND, WORK AS A LINKAGE AND
AGENCY BETWEEN THE CENTRAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS,
WHILE ON THE OTHER , KEEP ANIMATED AND INTACT THE ESSENCE
OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S FAMOUS QUOTE : €Œ GOVERNMENT OF
THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE , SHALL NOT PERISH
FROM THE EARTH.ۥ

IMPORTANCE
A DEMOCRACY IS SUCCESSFUL ONLY WHEN IT INVOLVES THE
FULLEST PARTICIPATION OF ALL SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY IN
THE MATTERS OF ADMINISTRATION AND DECISION MAKING
THRU A CONSOLIDATED AND EFFECTUAL LOCAL
GOVERNMENT SYSTEM .
THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM
IS THUS, IN ESSENCE, THE ADMINISTRATION AND
MANAGEMENT OF A GIVEN LOCALITY EXTENDING FROM A
DIVISION, SUBDIVISION AND DISTRICT TO TEHSIL, UNION
/RURAL ACOUNCILS BY THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF
THOSE AREAS .

IN MODERN STATES €” WHETHER UNITARY OR FEDERAL

€” THE NEED FOR A LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS SO
NECESSITATED THAT FOR AN EFFECTIVE CONTROL OVER
VARIOUS UNITS , DIVISIONS ETC ., AND MEASURING UP TO
THE ASPIRATIONS AND NEEDS OF THE CITIZENS,
GOVERNMENTS MAKE LOCAL BODIES MORE AND MORE
POWERFUL AND THE POWERS ARE DEVOLVED TO THE LOCAL
LEVEL SO THAT THE STATE CITIZENS ARE PROVIDED THE BEST
OF FACILITIES AND AMENITIES WITHIN THE SHORTEST
POSSIBLE TIME . ANOTHER STRIKING FEATURE OF THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IS THAT PEOPLE OF A PARTICULAR
LOCALITY OR TOWN OR CITY ELECT , AMONGST THEMSELVES ,
THEIR REPRESENTATIVES TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUES OF
COMMON PEOPLE . THUS, €ŒTHE ONLY,€• AS G.K
CHESTERTON REMARKED , €ŒPURELY POPULAR
GOVERNMENT IS LOCAL , AND FOUNDED ON LOCAL
KNOWLEDGE. HE ADVOCATES THIS VIEW BECAUSE IN HIS
OPINION, €ŒTHE CITIZENS THEMSELVES CAN RULE THE
CITY BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE CITY .ۥ LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS ATTEND TO THE PITFALLS AND PROBLEMS
AS WELL AS THE JEREMIADS AND ENTREATIES OF PEOPLE
KEEPING IN VIEW THEIR SENSIBILITIES AND TASTES.

HISTORY IN THE SUBCONTINENT

THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IN THE SUBCONTINENT

HAS ITS ROOTS IN THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE REGION AS
MEGASTHENES IN HIS  €ŒINDIACA€• €” WROTE IN
AROUND 302 BC €” IDENTIFIES LOCAL BODIES AS
€ŒGRAM PARISHADS€• WHICH LATER ASSUMED THE
NOMENCLATURE OF PANCHAYAT. PANCHAYAT LITERALLY
MEANING €ŒGROUP OF FIVE,€• EXISTED IN ALMOST
EVERY OTHER VILLAGE IN THE SUBCONTINENT , COMPRISING
THE ELDERLY MEMBERS OR RATHER LANDLORDS AND UPPER
CLASS HINDUS WHO WIELDED FAIRLY GREATER INFLUENCE
ON THE REST VILLAGERS AND WERE GIVEN THE CARTE
BLANCHE TO ADJUDICATE AND ARBITRATE IN THEIR MUTUAL
DISPUTES.

IN HIS FAMOUS BOOK, €ŒDISCOVERY OF INDIA,€•

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU WROTE:
€ŒTHE INSTITUTIONS OF LOCAL SELF -GOVERNMENT HAVE
BEEN THE INTEGRAL PART OF INDIAN SOCIETY FROM
ANCIENT PAST . AS MENTIONED IN THE ‘RIG VEDA’ , THE
OLDEST WRITTEN TEXT OF INDIA’S RECORDED HISTORY ,
VILLAGE COMMUNITIES KNOWN AS
‘SABHA'(ASSEMBLY)/’SAMITI'(COMMITTEE) ACROSS THE
INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT WERE SELF -GOVERNING OVER
MILLENNIA.ۥ

DURING MUGHAL RULE IN THE SUBCONTINENT, MANY A

REFORM WAS INTRODUCED IN EVERY FIELD OF LIFE .
HOWEVER, IT IS TO BE NOTED THAT PANCHAYATS WERE
NOT INTERFERED IN . THEY, HOWEVER, SUFFERED A
SETBACK DURING BRITISH RULE AS IMPERIAL INTERESTS OF
THE FOREIGN RULERS DEMANDED A POWERFUL CENTRAL
CONTROL.

ACTS INTRODUCED DURING BRITISH RAJ

WITH RESPECT TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS A NUMBER OF

LAWS WERE ENACTED FROM TIME TO TIME SUCH AS:

I. CONSERVANCY ACT OF 1842

II. MUNICIPAL ACT OF 1850
III. RESOLUTION OF 1854 WHICH WAS PASSED WITH THE
WORD OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT €ŒPEOPLE OF INDIA ARE
PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF ADMINISTERING THEIR OWN LOCAL
AFFAIRS.ۥ
IV. RIPON’S RESOLUTION
V. GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT 1919: ONE OF THE
NOVELTIES OF THE ACT PERTAINING TO THE LG WAS THE
TRANSFER OF LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT TO BE
ADMINISTERED BY INDIAN MINISTER.
VI. GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT 1935: UNDER THIS ACT,
PROVINCES WERE AUTHORIZED TO LEGISLATE WITH RESPECT
TO THE LOCAL BODIES . AS FOR URBAN AREAS , LAHORE
CORPORATION ACT 1941 WAS ENACTED.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN PAKISTAN

AFTER PAKISTAN GOT INDEPENDENCE FROM THE BRITISH

RAJ IN 1947, FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTS REGARDING THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TOOK PLACE IN THE COUNTRY:

1. BASIC DEMOCRACIES (BD)

IT IS SAID THAT IT WAS AYUB KHAN’S DREAM TO HAVE A

KIND OF €ŒGUIDED/ CONTROLLED €• DEMOCRACY TO
BE ESPOUSE IN PAKISTAN. HE WANTED TO DO SO BY DOING
AWAY WITH THE TRADITIONAL PARLIAMENTARY SETUP €”
AYUB KHAN CONTENDED IN HIS €ŒFRIENDS NOT
MASTERS,ۥ THAT THIS SYSTEM HAD MET FIASCO TO
SUCH AN EXTENT AS TO VINDICATE OUR CONVICTION THAT
IT NO MORE BE IMPOSED ON PEOPLE. THUS, SHORTLY
AFTER SEIZING POWER , HE CAME UP WITH HIS OWN BRAND
OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITLED AS BD SYSTEM WHICH
COMPRISED FOUR -TIER STRUCTURE :

FOR RURAL AREAS

(1) UNION COUNCIL; (2) TEHSIL/THANA COUNCIL (3)

DISTRICT COUNCIL AND (4) DIVISIONAL COUNCIL

FOR URBAN AREAS

(1) UNION COMMITTEE (2) TOWN COMMITTEE (3)

MUNICIPAL COMMITTEE (4) MUNICIPAL CORPORATION
IT IS TO BE NOTED HERE THAT THE MEMBERS OF THESE BD
MEMBERS WERE ALSO ASSIGNED A CONSTITUTIONAL ROLE
OF ELECTING THE PRESIDENT OF PAKISTAN AND THE
MEMBERS OF NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLIES .
NOTWITHSTANDING ITS AIMS AND OBJECTIVES , THIS
SYSTEM FAILED, AND COULDN ’T HELP BEING TURNED INTO
A DEMOCRATIC FACADE TO AN AUTOCRATIC STRUCTURE.

2. PEOPLE’S LOCAL GOVERNMENT

AS A RESULT OF 1970 ELECTION, PPP ROSE TO POWER

AND IN VIEW OF ITS MANIFESTO, THE GOVERNMENT
SPEARHEADED BY BHUTTO TOOK REVOLUTIONARY STEPS .
THE UNIFORM STRUCTURE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT WAS
PROMULGATED THROUGH A PRESIDENTIAL DECREE IN
1972. LIKE ITS PREDECESSOR , IT TOO WAS CLASSIFIED INTO
TWO GROUPS :

FOR RURAL AREAS

(1) DEHI COUNCIL (2) HALQA COUNCIL (3) ZILA COUNCIL.

FOR URBAN AREAS

(1) TOWN COMMITTEE (2) MUNICIPAL COMMITTEE (3)

MUNICIPAL CORPORATION

BESIDES GOVERNMENT ALSO INITIATED A SCHEME KNOWN

AS PEOPLE’S WORKS PROGRAM WHICH WAS DESTINED TO
FURNISH PEOPLE WITH BASIC HUMAN FACILITIES .
HOWEVER, THESE REFORMS WERE NEVER PUT IN PLACE,
NEITHER WERE THE ELECTIONS FOR LGS HELD.

3. DEVOLUTION OF POWER PLAN 2001

WITH THE OUSTER OF NAWAZ SHARIF AFTER A MILITARY

COUP, GEN MUSHARRAF TOOK OVER AS THE CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OF THE COUNTRY . HE CAME UP WITH A
€ŒSEVEN-POINT AGENDA,€• FOR STEERING PAKISTAN
OUT OF MULTIFARIOUS CRISES. FOR THIS PURPOSE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT ORDINANCE 2001 WAS ISSUED. THE PLAN
TO DEVOLVE POWERS TO THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL WAS SEEN
AS A GOOD OMEN. THE ORDINANCE ALSO SOUGHT THE
REPLACEMENT OF BUREAUCRACY BY THE POPULARLY
ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES.

ENFORCED WITH EFFECT FROM AUGUST 14, 2001, THIS

PROGRAMME ENVISAGED A SYSTEM COMPRISING

(1) DISTRICT GOVERNMENT , (2) TEHSIL/TOWN

GOVERNMENT, AND (3) UNION COUNCIL GOVERNMENT .
AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL , THE NAZIM ASSISTED BY NAIB
NAZIM AND DISTRICT COUNCIL WAS MADE THE EXECUTIVE
HEAD, WITH ALL THE DISTRICT AUTHORITY VESTED IN HIS
PERSON. DISTRICT COORDINATION OFFICER (DCO)
STRIPPED OF MOST OF HID POWERS , WAS TASKED TO
COORDINATE AND ASSIST NAZIM. EXACTLY THE SIMILAR
STRUCTURAL CHANGES WERE MADE AT THE TEHSIL LEVEL
WHERE NAZIM WAS ASSISTED BY TEHSIL MUNICIPAL
OFFICER (TMO).

THERE IS NO DENYING THE FACT THAT TO A GREATER

EXTENT, THIS LG SYSTEM WENT IN PURSUING ITS
OBJECTIVES. BUT, INDEED MUCH WAS LEFT TO BE
ACHIEVED. MOREOVER, THE ACTUAL WORKING OF THE
SYSTEM NECESSITATED MANY REFORMS . IN 2008, THIS
LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM WAS WRAPPED UP BY THE
NEW ‘DEMOCRATIC ’ RULERS, AND THE REASON HURLED FOR
ITS ABOLITION WAS SIMPLE: €ŒIT WAS A DICTATORIAL
CREATION MEANT TO LEGALIZE MUSHARRAF’S RULE.€•
FUTURE

NOW IT IS ALMOST SEVEN YEARS SINCE THE DEMOCRATIC

SETUP TOOK ROOTS AND THE TRANSFER OF THE POWER
FROM ONE DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT TO
THE OTHER HAD ALSO TAKEN PLACE. HOWEVER, DESPITE
SUPREME COURT VERDICT IN THIS REGARD, THE CLAMOUR
FROM VARIOUS QUARTERS OF SOCIETY AND MUCH HUE AND
CRY FROM VARIOUS POLITICAL PLAYERS , THE DREAM TO
FORM LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IS STILL ELUSIVE . OUR RULERS
MUST FORMULATE AN EXTENSIVE POLICY AND
PROGRAMME, THROUGH LEGISLATION , FOR THE
ENFORCEMENT OF AN EFFECTIVE LOCAL GOVERNMENT
SYSTEM, TO DEVOLVE THE MAXIMUM POWER TO THE
LOWER LEVEL AS IT IS THE ONLY PANACEA TO STRENGTHEN
DEMOCRACY IN PAKISTAN ERGO MAKING PAKISTAN A TRUE
WELFARE STATE AS DREAMED BY THE FOUNDERS OF
PAKISTAN.