LAHORE: A coalition of civil society organizations, legal experts, academics, journalists and development professionals has called on the Punjab government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to immediately announce and hold local government elections, warning that the prolonged absence of elected councils has weakened democratic governance, accountability and public participation across the province.
The demand was made during the second quarterly meeting of the Coalition for Restoration of Elected Local Government System in Punjab, chaired by Muhammad Tahseen, Executive Director of South Asia Partnership-Pakistan (SAP-PK), and hosted by Baidarie in collaboration with SAP-PK.
Speaking at the meeting, Arshid Mirza of Baidarie said Punjab has remained without elected local governments since 2015, leaving citizens with limited influence over municipal services, development planning and local decision-making. He argued that administrative and financial powers have increasingly shifted to provincial authorities, reducing transparency and grassroots oversight.
Muhammad Tahseen also expressed concerns over the Punjab Local Government Act 2025, saying the allocation of reserved seats for women, youth, farmers and laborers does not adequately reflect their share of the population, limiting inclusive representation.
Representatives further criticized the Punjab Budget 2026-27 for lacking a dedicated allocation for local government elections. Zahid Islam of Sangat Development Foundation urged the ECP to announce an election schedule without delay and called for the implementation of Articles 32 and 140-A of the Constitution, which require democratically elected and empowered local governments.
The coalition proposed a province-wide advocacy campaign involving lawmakers, government officials, educational institutions and digital platforms to raise public awareness about the importance of local democracy. Members also agreed to prepare a Charter of Demands and seek meetings with the Punjab chief minister and other senior officials.
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