1. Devolution in Pakistan

2. Government's intentions Principal objectives: to inject new blood into a political system considered to be the domain of historically entrenched interests; to provide positive measures enabling marginalized citizens – women, workers, peasants – to access formal politics; and to introduce a measure of stability into a turbulent political scene by creating a stronger line of accountability between new politicians and local electorates. Technical objectives: Improved delivery of social services; Improved access to justice in the form of improved performance by local administrations, courts and police, with greater awareness of basic human rights protected under devolution.

3. How can devolution assist in service-delivery improvements?

4. Key incentives in the devolved structures

5. Highlights: location of the employer function for district staff

6. How might it look in the future?

7. Proposed features of the Provincial Local Government Service A voluntary pool that senior provincial staff can apply to join. Staff who had applied and been found suitable for district employment would remain in their provincial posts pending assignment. Pool staff accepted into the district with explicit performance agreements. Staff members who wished to resign from the district service could, with the permission of the provincial government, return to the province. The district could terminate the appointment to the district, with the staff member automatically returned to the province, with the right of appeal to the Provincial Public Service Commission in the event of unfair dismissal

8. Proposed features of the Local Government Career Service District Service established separately in each province. Legislation to ensure that all districts within a province retain the same pay and grade structure. To cover grades 1–16 only. Recruitment to the districts to be at departmental level within the district, with the Provincial Service Commissions to oversee the quality of the recruitment processes, but not to be involved directly in the recruitment. Transfer between districts would entail resignation from one and appointment by another. Transfer from districts to provincial or federal government employment would entail resignation from the district.