- Defense Minister calls 18th Amendment an “empty slogan.”
- Asif says politicians did not execute the 18th Amendment.
- The minister says that the devolution of power strengthens the State.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said lawmakers behind the 18th Amendment are responsible for its non-implementation.
speaking in Geographic news On the ‘Capital Talk’ programme, the Defense Minister said the ultimate responsibility for turning the constitutional change into an “empty slogan” lies with the politicians who approved it but did not execute it in letter and spirit.
The key slogan of the 18th Amendment was devolution of powers to the grassroots level, Asif said and asked if this objective had been achieved anywhere in the country.
“Have powers really been transferred to lower levels, inside or outside parliament?” the minister asked.
On the other hand, Asif – in a post on
He said effective and empowered local governments would enable Pakistan’s population of over 250 million to access governance through municipal administrations in Karachi, Lahore, Quetta and Peshawar through a functional local government system.
He acknowledged that despite the 18th Constitutional Amendment, successive governments had failed to fully activate the local government framework, attributing this to a lack of political sincerity.
Asif said empowered local governments would allow citizens to elect their own representatives and institutions through votes, instead of continuing to rely on the bureaucracy, whose officials occupy temporary positions.
He added that if local elected representatives fail to comply, the public could hold them accountable directly.
The minister said key civic services – including water supply, fire services, sanitation, primary education, healthcare, drainage, encroachment management and local roads – should be under the jurisdiction of local governments, along with an independent local tax system.
Citing global examples, the Defense Minister noted that in many countries, even parts of the judicial and police systems operate under elected local authorities.
He warned that weak and impotent local bodies fail to deliver services and cause political harm rather than benefit, while strong municipal institutions enhance public authority, reduce unrest and create a lasting bond between government and citizens.
Asif concluded that the dispersion of power multiplies its effectiveness, while the concentration of power diminishes it, adding that a satisfied society ultimately leads to a stronger country.
Earlier, the minister, in his address to the National Assembly on Tuesday, said: “The 18th Amendment has proven to be a hoax as all powers have been transferred to the provincial government.”
The Defense Minister had said that “dictators” had introduced empowered local bodies in the country, but civilian governments tried to avoid delegating power to the grassroots level.
“They (civilian governments) often come up with lame excuses to postpone local body elections,” he added.
