Empowered local governments could make new provinces debate unnecessary: Hamza

Former Punjab Chief Minister and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz vice president Hamza Shehbaz on Friday said that the demand and debate

LAHORE: Former Punjab Chief Minister and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz vice president Hamza Shehbaz on Friday said that the demand and debate for creating new provinces could have been substantially reduced if local governments had been given real powers and constitutional protection for their tenure.

Speaking to a delegation of the Pakistan English Media Association (PEMA) during a meeting here in Lahore, former CM said that political parties needed to rethink their approach towards local governments and acknowledge their own failure to devolve powers to the grassroots level.

The PEMA delegation, led by its President Rameez Khan, discussed a range of issues with Hamza, including the future of local government, the demand for new provinces, the widening disconnect between governments and voters, and the role of the media.

Hamza said local governments should enjoy a tenure protected by the Constitution, on the pattern of the National and Provincial Assemblies, so that elected local representatives could complete their terms without fear of premature dissolution or political interference. “Had such a system been allowed to operate effectively and continuously,” he said. “There would have been far less justification for the present debate about dividing provinces.”

On the issue of new provinces, PMLN leader said no political party could resolve the matter on its own and that consensus through dialogue among political forces was the only way forward. “Political parties need to look inward and assess their own record on strengthening local governments,” he said, adding that every blame couldn’t be placed on the establishment. “Political parties should also do some soul-searching. Did we do our part?” he asked.

Hamza acknowledged that even the PML-N, while in government, had failed to empower local governments to the required extent.

He said civil servants had frequently advised governments against devolving greater authority, arguing that powerful local governments could undermine the powers of provincial governments.

Rejecting such an approach, Hamza said a weak local government structure could not effectively address problems faced by ordinary citizens. He stressed that meaningful devolution of administrative and political powers was essential for resolving public issues at the local level.

Discussing the growing distance between governments and the electorate, Hamza said political parties began to decline when they lost contact with their workers and voters.

He maintained that a strong relationship with the public remained essential for the survival and growth of political parties.

Hamza also praised the English-language media, particularly the print press, for maintaining professional standards of journalism. He said that despite the growing influence of electronic and social media, English-language newspapers continued to be regarded as credible sources of information.

He said his foremost priority remained addressing the problems confronting ordinary people.