New Local Government System in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is the third largest province of Pakistan. In 2013 General Elections Imran Khan's political party Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) won majority of seats and made their first ever government. PTI promised strongest Local Government (LG) system in the province and on paper he did that too. In 2015 the Local Government Elections held and more than 42 thousand members were elected throughout the province.

Key Features of the PTI's Local Government System were

• 30 Percent Annual Development share of the province
• Smallest unit (Union Council) was divided further into Neighborhood and Village Councils (NC/VC)
• Three tier system was introduced (District, Tehsil/Town and NC/VC)
• 24 Offices devolved from Province to LG

KP's LG system was rated high among other provinces LG system. After wining 2018 General Elections Imran Khan made his way towards Prime Minister House and In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PTI became first ever party to govern the province for the second consecutive time. Imran Khan wished to bring same LG System across the country but unfortunately it couldn't happened but Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Punjab made it clear to the PM that baseline for LG system will be same in these provinces while Pakistan Peoples Party run Sindh will have a different LG setup.
For Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Government has almost finalized the changes for upcoming new LG System which might face strong resistance in near future.

Key Features of New Local Government System In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are

• First Ever LG Elections for Merged Districts (Ex Federally Administered Tribal Areas)
• Elimination of District Government tier
• Change in Provincial Finance Commission
• Change in Local Government Commission
• Peshawar will have different setup (One Urban Council, 4 Tehsil Councils)
• No of members reduced in NC/VC (5 to 6 Members, 2 General, 1 each for Woman, Peasant, Youth and Minority )
• Direct Elections for Nazim of Thesil
• Nazim of NC/VC will be the member of his Tehsil Council

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government is likely to table amendments in Local Govenrment Act 2013 by the end of March or first week of April. Election Commission of Pakistan already clarified that if Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government could not approve their amendments before 30th April 2019, ECP will start their work for LG elections according to the old act. KP Government have to pass the amendments before the 30 April and put the formal request to ECP for LG elections throughout the province. Tenure of the current LG system will expire on 28 August 2019 and according to the law ECP is bound to hold the election within 120 days after the expiry of current system.