Islamabad: Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has warned that if local government elections are not held in Islamabad, the Election Commission of Pakistan may summon the Prime Minister as well.
Sikandar Sultan Raja made this statement during a hearing related to local government elections in Punjab. During the proceedings before the five-member commission, Secretary of the Election Commission, Omar Hamid Khan, briefed the panel, stating that both the Punjab and federal governments do not appear to be serious about conducting local government elections.
According to him, local government elections have not been held in Punjab for the past three years, despite the fact that the tenure of local governments ended there on December 31, 2021. The Secretary further revealed that since 2019, laws related to local governance in Punjab have been amended five times, and now a sixth round of legislation is underway.
On this occasion, the Punjab Minister for Local Government Zeeshan Rafique informed the Commission that the new law is currently under consideration by the Standing Committee and efforts are underway to get it approved soon. According to him, the bill has been in the assembly for over three months, whereas typically it takes about two months for approval.
Expressing his displeasure, the Chief Election Commissioner stated that he has already appeared before the Supreme Court regarding local governments, and it is no longer acceptable for the provincial government to keep delaying elections merely on the pretext of pending legislation.
He made it clear that if the Election Commission issues a formal order regarding the local government elections, it would be an embarrassment for the government. A member of the Commission remarked that now someone must be summoned who can provide a definitive assurance on when the elections will be held.
The Chief Election Commissioner further stated that the Commission cannot sit idly by. "If the Chief Minister can be summoned in the Punjab case, then the Prime Minister can also be summoned in the matter of Islamabad," he added. The Election Commission then adjourned further hearing of the case for indefinite period.