After 78 years of Pakistan as an independent state, it is time to look back and question the achievements of democracy, such as freedom, dignity and meaningful participation for all the citizens of the country. The history of democracy in Pakistan has been largely defined in terms of national and provincial electoral politics and power struggles for roughly eight decades, with local-level politics still in the doldrums and underutilised.

A democracy is not just about periodic elections; it is about people having an impact on decisions that shape their lives in everyday affairs, whether it is education, healthcare, clean drinking water, sanitation or local development and public safety. The governments at local levels are the nearest tier of government that immediately responds to these basic needs of citizens.

Under Article 140-A of the Constitution of Pakistan, every province shall have a local government system that shall by law provide for the devolution of political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority to local governments’ elected representatives. It also establishes that the Election Commission of Pakistan shall hold local governments' elections periodically. Unfortunately, the situation of establishing........

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