Saad Rafique opposes abolishing mayor's office, calls for empowered local government

At a glance

PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique has opposed abolishing the mayor's office.
He argues it would weaken local government and strengthen bureaucracy.
Rafique called for direct mayoral elections and financial autonomy for local bodies.

Story so far

Senior PML-N leader and former federal minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has publicly opposed the idea of eliminating the office of mayor in large cities. He believes this would weaken local governance and empower the bureaucracy. In a tweet, Rafique advocated for a stronger local government system, proposing direct mayoral elections based on 'one person, one vote', the return of powers to local bodies, and constitutional and financial autonomy for these institutions.

Latest development

PML-N senior leader Khawaja Saad Rafique has voiced his opposition to proposals to abolish the mayor's office in major cities, including Lahore and Islamabad. In a statement, the former federal minister argued that such a move would undermine the local government system.