Political Will and Local Government Autonomy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan: Fiscal and Administrative Implications for District Nowshera (2013–2024)

Abstract

Political will is a critical condition for the effective devolution of fiscal and administrative authority to elected local governments. This study examines how changing provincial political commitment, political alignment, political interference, and intergovernmental relations influenced local government autonomy in District Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during 2013–2024. The study employed a mixed-method combining quantitative data from 147 locally elected representatives of Nowshera, Pabbi, and Jahangira Tehsils with qualitative interviews of key stakeholders. The findings show that the 2015–2019 local government tenure operated within a comparatively more supportive political environment. Provincial commitment to devolution, the political association of the Chief Minister with District Nowshera, regular though not always complete fiscal transfers, and relatively smoother coordination with bureaucracy provided elected councils with limited but workable fiscal and administrative space. In the post-2021 period, political support weakened considerably after local election outcomes produced opposition-led local power centres. Qualitative data shows that 87% of respondents believed provincial political dynamics weakened local autonomy, 65% reported that party affiliation affected the provision of funds and institutional support, 74% perceived exclusion of elected local representatives from significant decision-making, 67% identified rivalries between local and provincial leadership as an obstacle to development implementation, and 61% reported political interference from higher levels of government. These political conditions coincided with non-release of PFC development funds, increased fiscal dependence, stronger bureaucratic control, reduced administrative discretion, and weakened service delivery. The study concludes that legal devolution alone cannot secure local autonomy unless it is supported by sustained political commitment, politically neutral fiscal transfers, clear administrative authority, and institutional safeguards against partisan and bureaucratic interference.