Citizen Forum calls for autonomous LGs to fortify democracy, public services

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Jul, 2026) Speakers at a citizens’ forum on local governance have called for restoration of constitutionally empowered and autonomous local governments (LGs), saying strong grassroots institutions are essential for strengthening democracy, improving public service delivery and increasing citizens’ participation in decision-making.

The Citizen Forum for the Restoration of Constitutional Local Governance, organised by HomeNet Pakistan in collaboration with AwazCDS-Pakistan at a local hotel, brought together lawmakers, former councillors, civil society representatives, legal experts, academics, governance practitioners, media professionals, youth leaders and development experts to discuss reforms for Pakistan’s local government system.

Participants stressed that political, administrative and financial autonomy for local governments was necessary to improve accountability, transparency and public participation, while enabling institutions to deliver essential services and support sustainable development.

Delivering the keynote address, Ume Laila Azhar said inclusive and representative LGs were critical for ensuring the participation of women, home-based workers, marginalised communities and other citizens in governance processes. She said stronger local democracy could improve public services, promote social inclusion and contribute to sustainable community development.

Members of the Punjab Assembly Rukhsana Kausar and Sumbal Malik Hussain called for greater authority and resources for elected councillors so they could effectively address community-level challenges.

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They supported measures aimed at strengthening the role of union councils and other local institutions.

Former councillor Rukhsana Kausar said empowered local representatives were better positioned to resolve everyday civic issues such as sanitation, sewerage and gas supply. She added that women representatives often maintained close links with communities and had a better understanding of residents’ concerns.

Other speakers, including Farzana Abbas, Anwar Hussain, Ishtiaq Chaudhry, Arshid Mahmood Mirza, Salman Abid and Humera Aslam, called for decentralisation, evidence-based policymaking, regular local government elections and the transfer of political, administrative and financial powers to grassroots institutions.

They also stressed the need for adequate financial resources for local governments, saying that without proper funding, elected institutions would remain unable to provide effective public services.

The forum also launched the Citizen Forum, a multi-stakeholder platform that will work with parliamentarians, policymakers, political parties, civil society organisations, academia, media and development partners through research, policy dialogue and advocacy for constitutional, inclusive and accountable local governance.

Participants called for greater representation of women, youth, persons with disabilities, workers, farmers, religious minorities and transgender persons in local government institutions. They said recommendations from the consultation would be shared with government bodies and lawmakers to support reforms for stronger and more effective local governance across Pakistan.