LAHORE, Oct 27 (APP):Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Tuesday stressed the need
for constitutional protection of local governments and effective devolution of powers to the grassroots, saying strong local institutions were essential for democratic stability and resolution of public issues.
He was addressing the launch ceremony of the Task Force Report on Reforms in Local
Governance, prepared by the BNU Centre for Policy Research (BCPR), where he attended
as the chief guest.
The speaker said the benefits of democracy could not reach ordinary citizens without empowering
local governments with adequate authority and resources. 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.
He also said the Punjab Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution calling for
constitutional protection of local governments.
Referring to the debate on the creation of new provinces, Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan
said the issue was important, but an effective local government system was equally necessary.
He observed that creating new provinces alone would not meet public expectations without
a robust system of local governance and meaningful devolution of powers.
The speaker appreciated the BNU Centre for Policy Research for bringing key issues concerning
local governance into the national discourse. He expressed confidence that the recommendations
of the Task Force report would help improve the performance of local government institutions
and advance the devolution of powers.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
