Devolution of Authority via Local Govt British phenomenon for better administration of its colony (Subcontinent) was ba sed

on making divisions within the states via rural-urban administrative classif ication, strengthening the bureaucratic administration in urban areas and simult aneously strengthening the loyal rural elites, e.g Punjab 385 Land Alienation Ac t 1900 and the Punjab Pre-Emption Act, 1913.

British Rule was replaced with Afsar Shahi thus, no hesitation to asset that Commissi ner system is basically a colonial system of governance. Controlling authority was (is) bureaucracy. Each successive higher echelon of au thority tends to centralize the executive authority of the lower echelon. This g enerally results in the concentration of politico-administrative authority in th e hands of the highest echelons (Central Bureaucracy).

Though, the Independence movement was driven by political parties but since from the time of independence, throughout there was a little emphasis on local gover nments. Additionally, post independence ruling classes imposed various Ordinance , Legislations, mainly to pursue the same British phenomenon of divisions for co ntrolling and administrating, not for democracy, devolution of authority or over all bettermet of masses. E.g in the era of Ayub Khan for urban areas the Municip al Administration Ordinance (1960) was introduced and in rural areas Basic Democ racies Ordinance (1959).

Comparison of LGO (1979) with BDO (1959) and the Municipal Administration Ordina nce (MAO) (1960) {Cheema and Mohmand s (2003)} shows that there was little change in the functions and financial powers assigned to local governments during the dif ferent era of our rulers. Eventually, the promulgation of the Local Government Ordinances, 1979 the fundam entals remained the same and the people could not be empowered and no real power could be transferred to the people at the local level.

In connection with the devolution of power in developing (especially in commonwe alth) countries, the Aberdeen Agenda was initiated in 2005. More than 40 Commonw ealth countries supported the Agenda based on the Principles on Good Practice fo r Local Democracy and Good Governance. The obvious message was that local democr acy is the key to development and without local democracy there can be no effect ive democracy and for fulfilling the mandate of people on the root level this sy stem is highly essential.

It s for the first time after the period of 150 years when initiatives from the Comm onwealth for devolution reformation & decentralization is introduced {(CLGF & CW S/ DFID) 2006} & especially for Pakistan, it is highly essential for the better administration, devolution of power & ultimately for the economic development.

There might be several loopholes in this emerged Concept of Local Govt (Which is

hardly accepted by some specific ruling mindset), however considering the fact that the masses should be given the authority to plan, implement and control the municipal & its related financial aspects with the collaboration of provincial governments, politicians /political parties should legislate & adopt this paradi gm & entrench it into the system seriously as earliest.