Local Government of Pakistan During Pervez Musharraf era and its structure .

Perez Mushraf in Power

In 1999 General Pervez Musharraf, took over the country by putting back an elected government. He was a martial man who used his power to dissolve the government of nawaz sharif. Mushruf government was determined to put in place a local government structure prior to the holding of election to the parliament and the provincial assemblies. His key advisor Lt.Gen Tanveer Naqvi (head of the National reconstruction Bureau), Drives a new system of local government, which mushraf implements during his power in office. He also did the same as previous military dictator did, he used local government laws and local body’s elections for their own political cadre. Moreover, For this purpose Musharaf also introduced local government ordinance.

General Pervez Musharraf Local Government Local government 

General Pervez Musharraf Local Government Ordinance also called the Devolution of Power Plan. This plan was significantly different from the earlier plans it claimed that it devolved administrative and expenditures responsibilities to the local governments and empowered common men. It abolished the Urban-Rural divide and established a three-tier system.

• District Council 

• Teshil council 

• Union Council 

District Council 

The top most layer was the District Council which headed by Nazims of Union Councils. Nazims  also member of district council.

Teshil council 

The middle tier Teshil council was made of the directly elected Naib Nazims of each Union Council in the Teshil.

Union Council 

The lowest tier was the Union Council which had directly elected members

 Provincial Finance Commission (PFC)

Prevez Mushraf introduced Provincial Finance Commission which primary aim is to rule-based transfer of funds to the local governments. it was used for salaries of the staff which were determined by the federal government. The power to devise the budget of the districts had given to Nazism. The funds of the Local government were misused and the new system has the effect of Centralization rather then decentralization. The member of local government looks up to Mushraf and he has used them to undermine the provincial government. 

Provincial Local Government Commissions 

Provincial Local Government Commissions were constituted to check and balance the performance of the Local Government. It could also organize consultative meetings between national and provincial legislators to discuss Annual Development Plans. The Local Government system provided for several conflict resolution mechanisms such as the Zila Mohtasib, Zila Mushavirat committee and Muslihat Anjumans. Finally grass root community participation for small-scale development was encouraged through Citizen Community Boards. 

18th amendment 

18th amendment introduced in 2010 empowered the provinces to reconstruct their local government however the system remained in a dilemma until the Acts were finally passed in all the four provinces after much deliberation and perplexity.