Abstract
The study explores that local governance models implemented in Pakistan by various successive military and civilian regimes reflect the inseparability of these models from its colonial past. The paper further aims to explore responses of Islamic Political Parties (IPPs) to local governance in its electoral manifestoes as well as news content (1998-2006). The main purpose is to critically examine the local governance models in Pakistan under various governments. Three major Local Government Ordinances promulgated in Pakistan include: Basic Democracies of 1959, implemented by General Ayub Khan, Local Self Government of 1979, issued by General Zia-ul-Haq, and the Devolution Plan of 2000, implemented by General Pervez Musharraf. The fourth local governance model of 2015 is perceived to be an aberration. This research concerns aspects of colonial system of Local Governance that continue in the post-colonial Pakistan with few amendments. . The study attempts to evaluate these models through two different theoretical perspectives, i.e. Bureaucratic and Majoritarian models. Since independence of Pakistan, local bodies remained indirect and non-partisan throughout military regimes mainly to manipulate the system in favor of incumbent regime. A visible change occurred during Musharraf era, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government recently claimed to bring change in the local governance model but it still borrows ideas from colonial local politics. Methodologically, this discussion involves comparative and analytical approaches. Despite some innovations, the paper concludes that KP model (2015) still adheres to colonial model.
Keyword(s)
Local government, Basic Democracies, Devolution Plan 2000, KP model 2015