PESHAWAR – Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur, has said that municipal institutions must focus on the delivery of civic services.
Speaking in Peshawar during a meeting with a delegation, he emphasized that local government in KP plays an essential role in resolving public issues. He added that his administration is taking steps to empower these institutions.
There is little dispute that a functional, empowered, and financially stable local government in KP is crucial for addressing citizens’ problems at the grassroots level.
Yet, the system of local government in KP and across Pakistan has often been subjected to political experiments.
Under Field Marshal Ayub Khan, General Zia Ul Haq, and General Pervez Musharraf, varying models of basic democracies and council systems were tested, culminating in the establishment of district governments.
Musharraf’s tenure gave practical shape to an older blueprint of district administration. With the system’s arrival, the long-standing magistracy, which had served as a tool for market regulation, was abolished.
Administrative officers, who had transitioned from deputy commissioners to district coordination officers, eventually reclaimed the title of deputy commissioner. But the magistracy system itself never became operational again, leaving market control ineffective to this day.
In KP, former chief minister Pervez Khattak took measures during his term to redefine the powers of local government institutions.
Elections were also held, but the persistent issues of funds allocation and authority continued to plague the system. Elected representatives often staged protests over these very concerns.
Now, according to a news agency report, the tenure of local government in KP’s plains will conclude on March 31, while in the mountainous areas, it will end in June 2026.
Gandapur’s assurance that his government is committed to strengthening local government in KP is, therefore, a welcome one.
Still, the challenge remains in ensuring that powers are devolved in line with geographical realities and local needs, alongside the timely release of development funds.
Public relief, after all, is directly tied to a strong and functional local government in KP — one capable of addressing citizens’ basic problems at the grassroots level.
