Civil society coalition calls for restoration of elected LG system in Punjab

The demand was made during the second quarterly meeting of the “Coalition for Restoration of Elected Local Government System in Punjab

LAHORE: A broad coalition of civil society organizations, legal experts, academics, journalists, and development practitioners has urged the Punjab Government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to immediately announce and conduct elections to the local government institutions in Punjab, warning that the prolonged absence of elected local governments has weakened democratic governance, public accountability, and citizen 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”, in Lahore. The meeting was chaired by Muhammad Tahseen, Executive Director of South Asia Partnership-Pakistan (SAP-PK), and hosted by Baidarie in collaboration with SAP-PK. Representatives from leading civil society organizations, members of the legal fraternity, former local government representatives, academics, journalists, and development professionals attended the meeting.

Arshid Mirza from Baidarie Sialkot expressed concern that Punjab has remained without elected local governments since 2015, depriving citizens of meaningful participation in local decision-making, municipal service delivery, and development planning. He observed that the continued delay has resulted in increasing centralization of administrative and financial powers, reducing transparency and limiting public oversight at the grassroots level.

Arshid Mirza noted that many functions traditionally performed by elected local governments have been transferred to provincial authorities, companies, and corporations, leaving citizens with little opportunity to influence priorities or monitor the implementation of local development projects. He also pointed out that development funds are largely controlled by federal and provincial legislators, despite local development falling outside their primary constitutional responsibilities.

On the occasion, Muhammad Tahseen highlighted concerns regarding the Punjab Local Government Act 2025, stating that the allocation of reserved seats for women, youth, farmers, and laborers does not adequately reflect their share in the population. According to Muhammad Tahseen, this limits the representation of key social groups in local governance and weakens inclusive decision-making.

Mr. Zahid Islam from Sangat Development Foundation expressed disappointment that the Punjab Budget for 2026–27 does not include a specific allocation for conducting local government elections. He said this raises concerns about the government’s commitment to fulfilling the constitutional requirement of establishing an empowered local government system.

Calling for urgent action, Zahid Islam urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to announce the election schedule without further delay. He also stressed the need for the implementation of Articles 32 and 140-A of the Constitution of Pakistan, which provide for the establishment of democratically elected and empowered local governments.

To build public support for the restoration of local democracy, Mr. Salman Abid Sr, analyst proposed to launch a comprehensive advocacy campaign. The strategy will include engagement with provincial ministers, members of the Punjab Assembly, senior government officials, and political leaders, alongside digital awareness initiatives through social media platforms, FM radio, podcasts, and other communication channels. Participants emphasized the importance of adopting creative and citizen-friendly approaches to educate the public about the significance of local governance.

Ms. Bushra Khaliq from WISE proposed organizing awareness sessions in universities, colleges, law schools, and bar councils to strengthen understanding of democratic local governance among students and legal professionals. It recommended introducing local government as a subject in educational curricula to promote civic awareness from an early stage.

As part of its future course of action, Mr. Arshid Mirza proposed to prepare a Charter of Demands seeking the restoration of elected local governments, while efforts will also be made to arrange meetings with the Chief Minister of Punjab, provincial ministers, legislators, and senior officials. A media engagement strategy and standard operating procedures for the coalition will also be developed in the coming weeks.

Mr. Mubeen Qazi senior advocate at Supreme Court of Pakistan maintained that restoring elected local governments would improve public service delivery, strengthen accountability, promote citizen participation in development planning, and enhance disaster response, community resilience, and social cohesion. He also observed that an effective local government system could contribute to national security by improving community-level coordination and identifying local challenges more efficiently.

The meeting concluded with a unanimous commitment by coalition members to continue coordinated advocacy efforts for the early restoration of a democratic, representative, and constitutionally empowered local government system in Punjab.