Islamabad, June 2, 2025: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja warned on Monday that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) may summon the Prime Minister if local government (LG) elections in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) continue to be delayed.
Presiding over a five-member ECP bench during a hearing on the delay of LG elections in Punjab, the CEC remarked: “Barring Punjab, all provinces have held local bodies’ elections. If the situation persists in Islamabad, we have the authority to summon the Prime Minister.”
CEC Raja expressed frustration over continued delays and legislative inaction, stating that it would be a matter of embarrassment if the ECP had to pass a formal order directing Punjab to hold elections. “The Commission cannot sit idle with its eyes closed. We will pass an appropriate order if necessary,” he asserted.
ECP Secretary Umar Hameed informed the bench that both the federal government in ICT and the Punjab provincial government appeared disinterested in conducting local government elections. He pointed out that Punjab has not held LG elections for over three years. The tenure of the last local governments ended on December 31, 2021.
Since 2019, Punjab has amended its local government laws five times, with a sixth amendment now under consideration. “It is unacceptable that the provincial government continues to delay legislation, resulting in no elections being held for five years,” the CEC said, recalling his own appearance before the Supreme Court in a related case.
Punjab’s Minister for Local Government, who appeared before the Commission, stated that the legislation is currently under review by the provincial assembly’s standing committee. He claimed efforts are underway to complete the process soon and noted that a draft of the local government rules is ready and could be shared with the Commission.
The CEC reiterated that Punjab is the only province yet to hold local elections, and further delay will prompt the ECP to take action. “If we issue an order, it will reflect poorly on your government. This process should be completed at the earliest,” he stressed.
During the hearing, a Commission member inquired who could be summoned to guarantee the timely conduct of elections. The CEC responded, “The Election Commission can summon the Chief Minister of Punjab, and in the case of Islamabad, even the Prime Minister may be summoned.”
The Commission subsequently adjourned the hearing.
