Local Government System as An instrument for Authoritarian Governments in Pakistan

Abstract

Pakistan is a unique nation whose political history has seen a variety of local government structures. The centralized-authoritative structure was used to manage the local government system in India during the colonial era. In contrast, military governments in Pakistan had prioritised the local government system over civilian ones following the country's independence in 1947. In accordance with the idea of decentralisation of powers, Pervez Musharraf launched the "Devolution of Power Plan 2001," in addition to Ayub Khan's "Basic Democracy" and Zia-ul-Haq's "Local Bodies system." All three of these military leaders looked at ways to increase their popularity starting at the local level, using local governments as their foundation. This study examines how local governments are employed by military rulers as a strategy to bolster their own administrations.