EDITORIAL: More than a decade-and-a-half after the 18th Constitutional Amendment fundamentally altered Pakistan’s federal structure, the country still behaves as though development planning remains primarily a federal responsibility. That contradiction has become increasingly difficult to justify, which is why economist Dr Kaiser Bengali’s proposal, made during a policy roundtable on Pakistan’s development budget and post-devolution challenges, that provinces establish their own planning commissions deserves serious consideration.
It addresses one of the most overlooked weaknesses in Pakistan’s post-devolution governance framework.
The logic behind the 18th Amendment was never confined to transferring administrative functions from Islamabad to the provinces. Its broader purpose was to bring decision-making closer to the people by allowing policies to reflect local realities rather than central assumptions. Health, education, population welfare and numerous other subjects were devolved precisely because provincial governments were expected to exercise greater ownership over development priorities. That objective remains only partially fulfilled if planning itself continues to depend disproportionately upon federal institutions.
Planning is not simply about preparing annual development programmes or allocating budgets. It involves identifying long-term priorities, conducting feasibility studies, evaluating economic returns, coordinating sectoral strategies and measuring outcomes. Provinces cannot fully discharge their constitutional responsibilities if they lack institutions capable of performing these functions independently and professionally.
The need has become even more apparent as Pakistan struggles with increasingly constrained fiscal space. Debt servicing continues to consume a substantial portion of public resources, forcing governments at every level to make difficult spending choices. Under such circumstances, every rupee allocated to development must produce measurable results. That requires stronger planning, better project selection and far greater accountability than has often characterised public development spending.
The discussion surrounding Pakistan’s development model has also evolved in important ways. Increasingly, economists argue that education, healthcare and nutrition should no longer be viewed merely as social expenditures but as productive investments in human capital. That shift in thinking demands institutions capable of integrating economic planning with human development objectives rather than treating them as separate policy spheres.
Provincial planning commissions would help move the country in precisely that direction. Each province faces distinct economic realities, demographic pressures and infrastructure needs. Balochistan’s priorities differ markedly from those of Punjab. Sindh confronts urban challenges unlike those in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A planning framework designed around provincial circumstances is therefore more likely to produce efficient resource allocation than one relying excessively upon centralised assumptions.
This naturally complements the broader principle of devolution. Power should not simply flow from the federation to the provinces and stop there. Effective governance ultimately depends upon taking decision-making as close as possible to the communities affected by those decisions. Provincial institutions, in turn, should increasingly empower local governments capable of responding to district and municipal priorities. Devolution is a continuing process rather than a single constitutional event.
Pakistan has spent years debating whether its development gap stems from inadequate resources, inefficient spending or weak institutions. The answer almost certainly involves elements of all three. Better planning cannot solve every problem, but poor planning almost guarantees that limited public resources will continue producing disappointing results.
The 18th Amendment sought to reshape Pakistan’s governance by bringing authority closer to those best placed to exercise it. That constitutional vision remains incomplete if provinces continue depending on institutions designed for a more centralised state. Establishing provincial planning commissions would not merely fulfil the spirit of devolution; it would also strengthen the country’s capacity to plan, prioritise and deliver development where it matters most.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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