Local and Provincial

Government in
Pakistan
Local government is an institution deals with matters
concerning the people of a particular locality.
Aims of Local Govt.

Decentralization
Participation of local population
Day to day problem solving
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF
LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN PAKISTAN
Pre-partitioned era
 First municipal corporation set up in Madras in
1688 by East India Company.
 Board of Conservancy established in 1846 in
Karachi
 Municipal Act was passed in 1867 in Lahore
and Rwp.
 Lord Ripon’s Resolution in 1882
 The !907 Decentralization Commission
 1925 Simon Commission
 1935 Government of India Act
After independence
 Establishment of new local govt. system
was ignored
 1951-1958 Dark Age
The period 1958 to 1969
Basic Democratic Order (B.D.O) in 1959
for rural areas
Municipal Administration Ordinance in
1960 for urban areas
To be continued….

1.Urban areas
– Town Committees
– Union Committees
2.Rural Areas
– Union Council
– Tehsil Council
 The Period of 1970 to 1977
General yahyah khan announced
suspension of B.D.O
Zulfaqar Ali Bhutto period
he directed federal and provincial
governments to enforce local
government ordinance,1972.
 The period of 1977 to 1999
Local government system during
Marshal Law 1977

Democratic governments did not pay

attention to local government system
 General description of local government before
1999
4 levels of Municipal Govt. in urban areas
 Town Commitees
 Municipal Committes
 Municipal Corporation
 Metroplolitan Corporation
3 tiers of local government
Union Councils
 Tehsil/ taluka Councils
 District Council
Do local governments gain importance during military regimes?

Historical Facts & Figures

Primary governing units were set up to conduct local affairs;

their members were elected by constituencies of 800–1,000
adults. A national referendum among all those elected
confirmed Ayub as president .
3 day seminar was held by the ministry of local govt. and
rural development in Quetta from 29 may to 31st may 1979
and 29 recommendations were made for reshaping local
govt.
Previously the term of the councils had been 3 years now it
was to be 4 years
Why local governments gain importance during military
regimes?

One-man govt.

Decentralization in lower bodies

To prolong the ruling period

To weaken federal system