{"id":37421,"date":"2026-01-24T18:04:26","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T18:04:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/?p=37421"},"modified":"2026-01-24T18:04:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T18:04:26","slug":"stronger-lg-system-necessary-for-pakistans-stability-khawaja-asif","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/?p=37421","title":{"rendered":"Stronger LG system ‘necessary’ for Pakistan’s stability: Khawaja Asif"},"content":{"rendered":"
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif emphasised on Saturday\u00a0that Pakistan\u2019s stability lay in strong local government\u00a0and no one should see it as a threat.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen powers are not taken down to the grassroots level, it is tantamount to deceiving the people. Local government should be seen not as a threat but like a nursery. The world knows New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and this is the biggest example,\u201d Asif said while speaking at the session Devolution for Revolution at Think Fest in Lahore.<\/p>\n

He said politicians could only secure their authority legally and constitutionally by seeking endorsement directly from the people. \u201cIf politicians want their power to be legitimate, they must reach out to the country\u2019s 250 million people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The defence minister said local government posed no threat to any institution and instead ensured stability. \u201cAll institutions remain safe under a local government system. I don\u2019t understand why my own fraternity feels insecure,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n

Convener Punjab Local Government Caucus, @AhmadIqbalCh moderating “Devolution for Revolution” at @ThinkFestPK 2026 featuring, @KhawajaMAsif, Dr Ali Cheema, Dr Ishrat Hussain & @maryjamesgill pic.twitter.com\/wZdxQcpLTx
\n\u2014 Punjab Local Government Caucus (@DehleezLG) January 24, 2026<\/p>\n

He recalled that all three military rulers \u2014 Ayub Khan, General Ziaul Haq and Pervez Musharraf \u2014 relied on local governments, which enabled them to sustain their rule by devolving power to the grassroots while retaining central control.<\/p>\n

Asif identified bureaucratic influence over politicians as a major reason for political failure in the country. \u201cFirst comes influence, then dependence. Once dependence sets in, politicians lose the ability to see long-term realities,\u201d he said, adding that artificially created surroundings cloud political vision and distance leaders from ground realities.<\/p>\n

Expressing regret, the defence minister said politicians continued to avoid empowering local institutions despite the model being easy to understand. \u201cIt pains me that even after decades in politics, we have failed to bring meaningful change,\u201d he said, adding that many current parliamentarians were themselves products of the local government system introduced during General Zia\u2019s era.<\/p>\n

The minister stressed that political power could be strengthened through institution-building by granting local governments taxation authority, administrative powers including policing, and financial independence at city and tehsil levels. He said this devolution would also help ease budgetary pressures at the federal and provincial levels.<\/p>\n

Highlighting international examples,\u00a0Asif referred to a recent visit to Morocco, where he observed clean and well-managed neighbourhoods despite narrow streets in historic city centres. He said an effective local government system there had instilled a participatory sense among citizens, ensuring cleanliness, sanitation and basic services through local taxation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Pakistan, only a few hundred thousand people are politically engaged out of 250 million,\u201d he lamented. \u201cThe majority have never felt that they are part of the system or that their will and choices matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clarifying his stance, Asif said he was not criticising others but himself. \u201cI have been in Parliament for many years, yet we have not succeeded in introducing transformative reforms,\u201d he admitted.<\/p>\n

pic.twitter.com\/ggURwAQh0E
\n\u2014 ThinkFest Pakistan (@ThinkFestPK) January 24, 2026<\/p>\n

He said the most urgent issue facing the country was empowering local governments, adding that the only segment feeling threatened by this shift was the civilian bureaucracy, whose authority would be transferred to elected representatives. \u201cWhen powers move from deputy commissioners to local governments and mayors, real stability will begin,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Referring to history, the defence minister noted that the local government system was institutionalised by colonial rulers 150 to 200 years ago, who felt no threat in devolving authority despite their small numbers. \u201cBut today we fear diversity \u2014 different parties winning in different cities or union councils,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is this diversity, these differences, and this colourful political landscape from which democracy truly flourishes,\u201d Asif concluded.<\/p>\n

He also voiced support for the creation of new provinces in Pakistan, saying there is no harm in the move and no one should fear it.<\/p>\n

The debate over governance issues and local governments has seen a resurgence since the Gul Plaza tragedy at a shopping mall in Karachi that has taken 71 lives so far.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif emphasised on Saturday\u00a0that Pakistan\u2019s stability lay in strong local government\u00a0and no one should see it as a threat. \u201cWhen powers are not taken down to the grassroots level, it is tantamount to deceiving the people. Local government should be seen not as a threat but like a nursery. The world knows […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37421","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-english-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=37421"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37421\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=37421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=37421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=37421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}