The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has officially withdrawn the schedule for the Islamabad Local Government (LG) elections following the promulgation of a new local government ordinance by the federal government. The decision was announced on Monday and has once again delayed the much-anticipated local bodies elections in the federal capital.
According to an ECP notification, the election schedule was withdrawn in light of legal and administrative changes introduced through the new ordinance, which alters the framework of the local government system in Islamabad. The commission stated that holding elections under the previous legal structure was no longer feasible, as the ordinance significantly impacts constituencies, powers, and the overall setup of local councils.
Political parties and civic groups have expressed concern over the repeated postponement of LG elections, calling it a setback to grassroots democracy. Opposition parties accused the government of deliberately delaying the electoral process, while government officials argued that the new ordinance aims to strengthen the local governance system and ensure better service delivery.
This is not the first time Islamabad’s LG elections have faced delays, as legal challenges and changes in legislation have repeatedly stalled the process. The ECP has assured stakeholders that a revised election schedule will be issued once legal ambiguities are resolved and the new framework is fully implemented.
The development has sparked fresh debate over democratic continuity and the future of local governance in the capital.
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