The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has indicated that it may summon Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz due to the government’s failure to hold long-overdue local body elections in Punjab and Islamabad.
During the hearing on the matter, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja warned the government that the ECP would issue a binding order for elections in the next hearing. He remarked that this delay could cause political embarrassment for the ruling party. “Only Punjab hasn’t held LG polls. It’s unacceptable that a provincial government avoids legislation for five years,” he said.
The CEC emphasized that all other provinces have fulfilled their democratic responsibility by conducting local polls. He pointed out that the ruling PML-N governs both Punjab and the federal capital, making this delay even more questionable.
Responding to the concerns, Punjab’s Local Government Minister said that the necessary legislation is under review by a standing committee and will be finalized soon. However, the ECP Secretary countered, saying that the governments in Punjab and Islamabad lack serious interest in organizing the elections.
The Chief Election Commissioner concluded that further delay will not be tolerated. “You won’t decide the timeline anymore. The Commission will now set the date,” he said, adding that the court expects visible progress before the next hearing.