Publication

The paper first provides a quick overview of the situation in Pakistan and then briefly examines the history of constitution-making in the country, suggesting that the tendency towards having a highly centralised system of governance has deep historical roots. It will then discuss the 18th amendment, focusing on both the process used for arriving at a consensus among different political parties on the substance of the amendment and then moving on to analyze its content. Finally, using experiences of other countries, the chapter will examine how effective the amendment to the constitution will be in bringing about effective decentralisation and providing services to the people for which the government must take full responsibility.