LAHORE — Punjab’s long-delayed local government elections have once again been pushed into uncertainty after the provincial assembly abruptly passed the Punjab Local Government Act 2025, replacing the 2022 law under which the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had already begun delimitations.
The ECP had scheduled preliminary delimitations for October and final publication for December 8. But the passage of the new law has suspended the entire process, potentially delaying polls for several more months. Opposition lawmakers, led by MPA Moin Riaz Qureshi, protested the move, accusing the treasury of “bulldozing democracy” and demanding postponement due to law and order unrest.
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Acting Speaker Zaheer Iqbal Channar approved the bill amid uproar, as Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique tabled it before the house. Analysts say this marks the fourth time in a decade that Punjab has derailed local elections through legislative changes, reflecting a persistent reluctance to devolve power to elected grassroots bodies.
