Politicians behind 18th Amendment responsible for its non-execution: Khawaja Asif

• Defence Minister calls 18th Amendment “hollow slogan”.
• Asif says politicians failed to execute 18th Amendment. 
• Minister says devolution of power strengthens state.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said that lawmakers behind the 18th Amendment are responsible for its non-implementation.

Speaking on Geo News programme 'Capital Talk', the defence minister said that the ultimate responsibility for turning the constitutional tweak into a “hollow slogan” lies with the politicians who had passed it but failed to execute it in letter and spirit.

The key slogan of the 18th Amendment was the devolution of powers to the grassroots level, Asif said and asked if this objective had been achieved anywhere in the country.

“Have powers actually been transferred to the lower tiers, inside or outside parliament?” asked the minister. 

Separately, Asif — in a post on X — stressed that empowering local governments was essential to bringing governance closer to the common citizen, saying that devolution of power strengthens the state and reduces public frustration.

He said that effective and empowered local governments would enable Pakistan’s population of over 250 million to access governance through city administrations in Karachi, Lahore, Quetta and Peshawar via a functional local government system.

He acknowledged that despite the 18th Constitutional Amendment, successive governments had failed to fully activate the local government framework, attributing this to a lack of political sincerity.

Asif said empowered local governments would allow citizens to elect their own representatives and institutions through votes, rather than remaining dependent on bureaucracy, whose officials hold temporary positions.

He added that if elected local representatives fail to deliver, the public would be able to directly hold them accountable.

The minister said key civic services — including water supply, fire brigade services, sanitation, primary education, healthcare, drainage, encroachments management and local roads — should fall under the jurisdiction of local governments, along with an independent local taxation system.

Citing global examples, the defence minister noted that in many countries, even parts of the judicial and policing systems operate under elected local authorities.

He warned that weak and powerless local bodies fail to deliver services and cause political damage rather than benefit, whereas strong municipal institutions enhance public authority, reduce unrest and create a durable bond between the government and citizens.

Asif concluded that dispersal of power multiplies its effectiveness, while concentration of power diminishes it, adding that a satisfied society ultimately leads to a stronger country.

Earlier, the minister, while addressing the National Assembly on Tuesday, said: "The 18th Amendment has proven to be a hoax as all powers have been transferred to the provincial government."

The defence minister had said that "dictators" had introduced empowered local bodies in the country, but civilian governments tried to avoid devolving power to the grassroots level.

"They (civilian governments) often come up with lame excuses to defer local body elections," he had added.