The local government system plays a vital role in improving living standards of citizens because it tends to be physically closer to those in need of development than the provincial and federal governments. The importance of the local governments lies in the fact that these help to shape the development agenda explaining the implication of government programmes to the people.

Ironically, only one province in Pakistan - Sindh - has a working local government system. The rest are struggling either to hold elections or are introducing fresh amendments to their laws. Experts believe that this non-serious approach has a crucial role in governance-related glitches.

The tenure of local bodies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan expired on August 28 and January 28 respectively. The Punjab government stopped the local governments on May 4 this year when the governor, Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, signed the Punjab Local Government Bill, 2019, following its passage by the Provincial Assembly.

Under the 18^th Constitutional Amendment, provinces have the responsibility to establish local government system. Nevertheless, Article 140 (A) of the Constitution and Section (4) 219 of Pakistan Election Act 2017 demand the holding of elections within 120 days after expiry of tenure of local governments in a province.

Article 32 of the Constitution provides for participation of marginalized groups, such as women, minorities, peasants and labour in the local government elections. Article 10 of the Charter of Democracy (CoD) signed by former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in London 2006, calls for a strong local government system under Article 140A.

Former Election Commission (ECP) secretary Kunwar Dilshaad says, "Apart from the constitutional obligation, all provincial governments have played a negative role in delaying the local government elections. Therefore, since 2012, the Supreme Court has been forcing its constitutional will to compel provincial governments to introduce legislation first and then hold elections. Regrettably, the same method is being applied by the current provincial authorities."

According to Dilshaad, the purpose of local government is to provide an organised system where councillors exercise power and ensure peace, order and good governance in their municipalities. As part of their duty, council officials are expected to work towards improving social, economic, and environmental viability and sustainability for the benefit of their communities. "Effective local governments ensure provision of overall quality of life for the people of their communities."

Prime Minister Pakistan Imran Khan has always been a strong supporter of the local governments. In an interview with senior journalists on May 5, 2019, he said: "Our government’s Number One priority is to hand over governance to the people".

Chapter two of PTI’s 2018 manifesto states: "We will transform Pakistan by devolving power and decision-making to the people through an empowered local government (system)."

Currently, along with federal government, the PTI is heading two provincial governments: Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) Balochistan is also an ally of the PTI government at the Centre. Yet the local government systems in all three provinces are currently dysfunctional owing to various reasons.

"The PTI’s narrative of devolving decision-making and financial powers to village and union council level gives the impression of being compromised," says Salman Abid, an expert on local government system. "Both the Punjab and KP governments are trying to delay the already overdue local government elections. My sources in the government claim that a proposal to keep the status-quo till the mid of next year is being seriously considered."

To the question as to why PTI put the image of party and its chief Imran Khan at stake by not fulfilling the promise, Abid says, "The PTI knows that the people are unhappy with the economic conditions in the country so that they have no chance of winning the local bodies election. Hence, they will wait till circumstances turn the public opinion in their favour."

The local government system is meant to be a link between the government and the people. It is widely accepted at national and international level that local authorities are responsible for delivering a broad range of services in relation to roads and traffic; planning; housing; economic and community development; environment; recreation and amenity services; fire services and for maintaining the register of electors.

Moreover, because of its proximity to the people, the local governments are in a better position to ensure that government policies translate into services that will automatically meet the needs of the people.

Quetta-based journalist Saleem Shahid believes that provincial governments, especially, and all members of the provincial assembly in general are not in favour of the local government system. "They have strong reservations about handing over financial matters to local authorities."

"Following the order of the Supreme Court, the Balochistan government was bound to hold local government elections in 2015 but the Provincial Finance Commission surely under the government’s instructions did not release funds to local government representatives," he says. "Those representatives held a series of protest demonstrating against the government, but all in vein." Shahid thinks that the current government will not hold elections unless the top court steps in again.

Currently, only Sindh province has a local government system in place. The system was reintroduced in 2016 after nearly six years. Nonetheless, people like Kunwar Dilshaad and Altaf Shakoor, chairman of Pasban Democratic Party, believe that the inefficient local government system in Sindh has no role in social and welfare development at grassroots level.

Speaking to The News on Sunday, Altaf Shakoor states that the power centric culture of Sindh is the biggest hurdle in establishing a local government system that can empower the general public at the lowest tier to address their concerns.

"The electables and the politically influential feudal families are not sincere about giving any system to the public that not only provides an important platform to bring forth true leadership that belongs to the lowest tier but also solves communities’ problems outside of their control. These influential stakeholders consider such a system a great threat to their monopoly," he adds.

Shakoor believes that the ongoing tussle between the Sindh government and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) over the issue of governance in Karachi is a ‘preparation’ for the next local government election. "Both those parties have nothing to do with the public and their problems. The issues of governance in rural province are equally important but no one is bothered about them."

In all developed and democratic societies local governments are designed with the purpose of creating order in ways that serve the general public democratically. "The general public elects leaders who they think have the best understanding of all kinds of local problems and who can develop policy for development and welfare of their communities. Without a strong local government, the efforts of the provincial and federal governments in the national development agenda are in vain", says Dilshaad.