Punjab has completed a key procedural step toward holding local government elections, with the provincial cabinet approving the names of 6,637 union councils, but the final schedule for the polls remains undecided amid a standoff over timing with the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Sources said the cabinet approved a summary submitted by the Local Government Department regarding the union council names, clearing the administrative groundwork for the electoral process.
Province Rejects ECP Timetable
The provincial government has expressed reservations about holding the elections according to the schedule proposed by the Election Commission, and a ministerial committee from Punjab is set to appear before the commission on October 28 to discuss the matter.
The provincial minister for local government said the government could not conduct the polls under the commission’s proposed timetable.
Three Dates Proposed for April
Under the Punjab Local Government Act 2025, the provincial government has proposed three possible dates for the elections: April 4, April 11 and April 18.
The minister explained that November and December were smog-prone months, making it difficult to organise local government elections during that period.
According to the minister, the government plans to hold the local government elections after Ramadan, with final dates to be determined following consultations with the Election Commission.
