Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Parliamentary Leader Ahmad Kundi on,Monday submitted an important resolution in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Secretariat seeking constitutional protection for the local government system in Pakistan.
The resolution calls for an amendment to Article 140-A of the Constitution of Pakistan, recommending full political, administrative, and financial autonomy for local governments.
According to the text of the resolution, the 1973 Constitution obliges provinces to establish local governments and transfer powers to them.
However, the system has long suffered from a lack of continuity, autonomy, and financial resources.
The document also cites multiple Supreme Court rulings that recognize local governments as an essential component of the state structure, emphasizing that repeated dissolutions and unstable legislation have weakened their role.
The resolution further highlights that in many countries, local governments enjoy constitutional protection, and the Election Commission of Pakistan has also recommended amending Article 140-A to ensure timely elections and improved governance.
Ahmad Kundi’s resolution proposes clear definitions for the tenure and responsibilities of local governments, making it mandatory to hold elections within 90 days after dissolution or completion of tenure.
It also requires newly elected councils to convene within 21 days after election results are announced.
The proposal seeks to grant political, administrative, and financial autonomy to local bodies, establish a local service cadre, and link the provincial finance commission with the federal finance commission.
It also recommends that any amendments to local government laws be made only with a two-thirds majority to ensure stability and continuity.
Additionally, the resolution calls for the inclusion of a new constitutional chapter titled “Local Governments”, giving these institutions state-level constitutional status similar to federal and provincial governments.
The aim is to enable local bodies to function as independent, effective, and people-centered institutions, free from excessive provincial influence.