- Sattar, Siddiqui demand constitutional protection for LGs, saying next step after 18th Amendment must empower cities
- Stress to amend Article 140A to strengthen third tier of democracy, saying 27th Amendment must include MQM-P’s governance package
ISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Wednesday demanded that the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment include concrete provisions granting autonomy to local governments (LGs), terming it the “next logical step” after provincial autonomy secured under the 18th Amendment.
Addressing a joint press conference in Islamabad, MQM-P senior leader Dr. Farooq Sattar and party convener Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said their party would only support the new amendment if it empowered LGs through constitutional protection and fiscal independence.
The demand came a day after Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said the government would soon table the 27th Amendment in Parliament. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had earlier revealed key features of the proposed changes, reigniting debate on constitutional reforms.
Dr. Sattar said that while the 18th Amendment ensured provincial autonomy, “the next step, naturally, must be local autonomy.” He reminded that the MQM-P had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in March 2024, under which LGs were to draw powers directly from the federation instead of provinces.
“During the 26th Amendment, we had urged that our constitutional amendment package be included, but it didn’t happen,” Sattar said. “This time, local governments must get their rightful place in the 27th Amendment.”
He proposed amending Article 140A—which currently mandates provinces to establish local bodies—to explicitly ensure that laws passed by local authorities cannot contradict it. “The Constitution is sacred, but not divine,” he remarked. “It must evolve with time and national needs.”
Sattar said empowered LGs would ensure service delivery and accountability at the grassroots. “Local autonomy is real democracy—it brings governance to people’s doorsteps,” he asserted, calling it essential for national stability.
He also supported establishing constitutional courts, a proposal originally part of the 26th Amendment but dropped from its final draft. “Such courts could resolve constitutional disputes faster and ease the burden on the judiciary,” he said.
Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, echoing Sattar’s stance, said MQM-P’s demand was consistent with democratic principles. “We are not opposing amendments; we are strengthening them,” he said. “Local governments should be recognized as a government tier in their own right.”
He called for constitutional guarantees of nazims’ and mayors’ elections and tenures, independent of federal directives. “The Constitution should ensure this, and the Supreme Court should oversee it,” Siddiqui said, adding that caretaker mechanisms could also be introduced for LGs to maintain continuity.
Commenting on wider constitutional reforms, Siddiqui said MQM-P had reviewed provisions shared by the government, including proposed amendments to Article 243, which deals with the command of the armed forces. “The intent is to harmonize national defence with modern needs and unity,” he said.
Both leaders underscored that empowering LGs would complete Pakistan’s democratic evolution. “Just as the 18th Amendment marked provincial empowerment, the 27th should be remembered for giving autonomy to the people,” Sattar concluded.
The MQM-P, a key coalition ally, has long championed strong urban governance in Sindh, accusing provincial authorities of undermining municipal powers in Karachi and Hyderabad. As negotiations continue, its demand for local autonomy adds pressure on the government to balance coalition interests before the amendment is tabled in Parliament.
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