DLP Report
PESHAWAR
The Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday ordered immediate holding of local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in districts where delimitation has been completed, while excluding 12 districts facing security challenges and emergency measures.
The Commission issued the order after hearing provincial government’s request to defer polls citing law and order, imposition of emergency and deployment of troops under Article 245.
The federal government had on Oct 11 imposed emergency in KP and placed the province under governor’s rule, taking note of what it described as provincial government’s deliberate disengagement from fight against terrorism.
According to the order, the ECP directed its office to submit election programme for approval in respect of districts where delimitation has been completed.
The bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and comprising members Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Mohammad Jatoi, Babar Hassan Bharwana and retired Justice Ikramullah Khan heard the case.
The order said LG elections would not be held in Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Mohmand, Orakzai and North Waziristan, as specified in federal government’s order dated Oct 11.
The ECP also directed that delimitation schedules should not be issued for the time being for emergency districts including Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bajaur, Khyber, Kurram, Lower South Waziristan and Upper South Waziristan.
The order further directed ECP office to adjust and determine number of village councils and neighbourhood councils and category-wise reserved seats in respect of each tehsil council in seven districts — Karak, Hangu, Swat, Bar Swat, Battagram, Paharpur and Allai — as per current revenue limits in accordance with separate order of commission of even date. Local government elections in KP have remained pending since terms of existing local bodies expired, first phase in March 2026 and second phase in June 2026.
In July, KP government had assured ECP of all possible support in holding LG polls where delimitation was complete.
Later, ECP had opposed a key amendment in KP’s local government law regarding population of village and neighbourhood councils, terming it a delaying tactic.
