PPP Punjab Demands Devolution to Local Governments
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Punjab has demanded devolution to local governments through local body elections, arguing that creating new provinces will not fix the problems people face every day.
PPP Central Punjab General Secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza made the call at a press conference at the Punjab Secretariat in Lahore, where he said the government should focus on relief from inflation, unemployment and rising electricity and petroleum prices instead of debating new provinces.
Devolution to local governments: what the PPP wants
Murtaza said administrative failings could not be fixed without empowered local governments and a real transfer of authority to the grassroots. He said decisions about the country’s future must follow constitutional, legal and democratic procedures, not the wishes of one person or group.
He pointed to the 18th Constitutional Amendment, which envisaged the transfer of powers from the federation to the provinces. That process, he said, had not been completed at the grassroots level. Authority moved from the federal government to the provincial governments, but the provinces then held on to those powers instead of passing them to districts and local governments through Provincial Finance Commission awards.
Murtaza asked whether smaller districts received their legitimate financial and administrative resources, saying development funds were often handed out on political considerations. Even basic schemes, such as streets and drainage, had become subject to discretionary political decisions.
He said holding local government elections and devolving powers to the grassroots had been among the basic commitments in the written agreement between the PPP and the government. Despite repeated demands, he said, meaningful progress had not been made.
Murtaza added that local governments, student unions and labour unions were essential for producing new political leadership, above all among young people and working-class communities.
New provinces will not fix governance, Murtaza says
On the debate over new provinces, Murtaza said the PPP had already presented its position, backed by arguments, and proposed alternative solutions rather than simply opposing the idea.
He questioned the practical benefit of creating new provinces. He asked how such a move would reduce petroleum and electricity prices, end unemployment, control inflation or improve law and order. A new province in Sindh has already been ruled out, and the MQM-P has pressed for new administrative units in urban Sindh, so the debate cuts across party lines.
He pointed to Islamabad, where the country’s top leadership, bureaucracy and administrative resources are concentrated, yet serious shortcomings persist in its healthcare system. He asked whether more administrative units would achieve anything beyond increasing public expenditure.
Faryal Talpur begins five-day Punjab visit
Murtaza also announced that the PPP would step up its organisational work across Punjab. Senior PPP leader Faryal Talpur is to hold direct meetings with party workers and office-bearers during a five-day visit to the province. She will hear their concerns and complaints, and hold consultations to strengthen the party structure before future elections.
He said several political personalities were also expected to join the PPP during the visit. Talpur’s meetings will not be confined to Lahore but will extend to different districts and, wherever possible, tehsil-level organisations. The party is also considering setting aside two to three days every month for her visits to Punjab, with each visit focusing on a particular division.
Representatives of the People’s Lawyers Forum, People’s Youth, the Pakistan People’s Students Federation, the labour wing and the women’s wing will also take part in the consultations. Murtaza made clear the initiative would not set up a parallel structure. Any recommendations for organisational change will go to the party chairman for approval under the party’s constitution.
Why the local government push matters now
The PPP’s demand lands as the party is already preparing for local body polls. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called for a political reset and urged the prime minister to build trust with allies and the opposition, and PPP Lahore President Faisal Mir says the party will field more than 5,000 candidates across Lahore. Talpur held meetings with officials from Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Sialkot in late October to review preparations for the polls.
The devolution question is also live at the federal level. The Centre has spent Rs5 trillion on devolved subjects, a Senate panel was told, which shows how much money still flows through federal channels years after the 18th Amendment. Murtaza’s argument is that the unfinished half of devolution is the local tier, where streets, drains and basic services are decided.
A task force on local government funding has also been examining direct polls, so the mechanics of holding the elections are already under discussion. The PPP’s case is that polls alone are not enough: without money and authority moving with them, local governments would remain shells.
Frequently asked questions
What did the PPP demand in Punjab?
The PPP demanded the devolution of administrative and financial powers to the grassroots through local government elections. It said new provinces would not solve people’s problems unless the existing governance structure was reformed.
What is the PPP’s position on new provinces?
The PPP says it has already presented its position with arguments and alternative solutions. It argues that creating new provinces will not cut prices, end unemployment, control inflation or improve law and order, and that such decisions must follow constitutional, legal and democratic procedures.
What did Murtaza say about the 18th Amendment?
He said the amendment envisaged the transfer of powers from the federation to the provinces, but the process stopped there. Provinces concentrated the powers instead of passing them to districts and local governments through Provincial Finance Commission awards.
What will Faryal Talpur do during her Punjab visit?
She will hold direct meetings with party workers and office-bearers over five days, hear their concerns and complaints, and hold consultations to strengthen the party structure. The meetings will cover districts and tehsil-level organisations, not Lahore alone.
Which party wings will join the consultations?
Representatives of the People’s Lawyers Forum, People’s Youth, the Pakistan People’s Students Federation, the labour wing and the women’s wing will take part. Any recommendations for organisational change will go to the party chairman for approval.
