Transformative Impact of Decentralization and Federalism on Democracy in Pakistan

Abstract

The exploration of how regime changes impact decentralization in federations with a
history of autocratic rule remains an unmapped phenomenon. This article seeks to fill
this gap by examining the levels of static and dynamic decentralization in Pakistan, a
federal country that has experienced prolonged periods of autocratic governance since
the inception of its first constitution in 1956. Utilizing qualitative method, the article
challenges the prevailing notion that only military regimes have contributed to
centralization, shedding light on the various instruments of decentralization and the
key factors driving these changes, including the military, political parties, provincial
autonomy and the local government structures. As the substantial study of its kind on
Pakistan, and part of the broader project 'Why decentralization in federations?' this
article adds to the research literature on decentralization in hybrid regimes by tracing
the longitudinal evolution of Pakistan's federal system.