The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday directed its office to prepare and issue the election programme for local government elections in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).
asserted
Commission → direct → Territory
A five-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, issued the order while hearing a case concerning delays in holding local government elections in ICT.
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bench → head → ICT
The proceedings were initiated following a notice issued by the commission to the secretary of the Ministry of Interior and the chief commissioner of ICT.
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proceedings → initiate → ICT
Secretary Interior Ahmed Raza Sarwar and Additional Deputy Commissioner Uzair Ali Khan, representing the chief commissioner of ICT, appeared before the commission, while the ECP was represented by its secretary, special secretary (policy), special secretary (law), ADG (LGE), ADG (law) and director (law).
In its short order the Commission observed:
“Accordingly, in exercise of its constitutional powers and functions under Articles 140A, 218(3), 219 and 220 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, read with Section 219 of the Elections Act, 2017, and under Sections 17 and 24 of the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, 2015, the Commission hereby directs the office to forthwith prepare and issue the Election Programme for the conduct of local government elections in the Islamabad Capital Territory, in accordance with the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, 2015, as legally in force, the Elections Act, 2017, and the rules made thereunder.”
The ECP further directed the concerned office to ensure that all consequential steps were taken expeditiously and strictly in accordance with the law to facilitate the timely completion of the electoral process.
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steps → represent → process
Islamabad has been without an elected local government for more than five years.
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Islamabad → elect → years
The only local government elections in the capital were held in 2015, with polls conducted for 50 union councils.
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polls → hold → councils
The PML-N won the elections, and Sheikh Anser Aziz was elected the first mayor.
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Aziz → win → elections
The local government’s term expired in February 2021.
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term → expire → February
Under Article 140-A of the Constitution and Section 219(4) of the Elections Act, 2017, the ECP is required to hold elections within 120 days of the expiry of a local government’s term.
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ECP → require → term
However, fresh polls have been delayed amid repeated changes to the legal framework.
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polls → delay → framework
The ECP conducted delimitations multiple times and issued election schedules on several occasions, only for them to be cancelled later — in one instance, a day before polling.
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them → conduct → polling
Initially planned for 50 union councils (UCs), the number was increased to 101 and then to 125.
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number → plan → 125
In December 2022, elections were scheduled for Dec 31 that year on the basis of 101 UCs.
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elections → schedule → UCs
However, just days before polling, the government amended the law to increase the number of UCs to 125, forcing the ECP to postpone the polls, citing logistical difficulties, despite an Islamabad High Court order to proceed.
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government → amend → order
After a prolonged delay, the ECP announced a schedule for elections on Feb 15, 2026, for 125 UCs.
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ECP → announce → UCs
However, in January 2026, President Asif Ali Zardari promulgated the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, which replaced the Metropolitan Corporation structure with three town corporations aligned with National Assembly constituencies, necessitating fresh delimitations.
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which → promulgate → delimitations
The ECP subsequently withdrew the schedule.
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ECP → withdraw → schedule
The federal government pursued replacement legislation, with a parliamentary committee approving a bill in September.
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committee → pursue → September
However, the legislation was not enacted before the ordinance lapsed.
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ordinance → enact → ?
The ECP had earlier sent its feedback on the ICT Local Government Rules to the Interior Ministry on July 20, but the Law Ministry returned the draft, citing the expiry of the ordinance and the lack of authority to frame rules.
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Ministry → send → rules
The commission had sought the assistance of the interior secretary and the chief commissioner to determine how elections could proceed following the ordinance’s expiry.
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elections → seek → expiry
It has now decided to proceed under the 2015 Act, which remains in force.
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which → decide → force
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday ruled that Islamabad local government (LG) elections would be conducted under the ICT Local Government Act, 2015, adding that it would issue a schedule for the polls later in the day.
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it → rule → day
A five-member commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, conducted a hearing over multiple delays in the polls fixture for the past five years.
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commission → head → years
Interior secretary and ECP officials appeared in the hearing as well.
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secretary → appear → hearing
ECP Special Secretary Zafar Iqbal Malik said that delimitation of constituencies had been carried out six times and election schedules had been issued four times.
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schedules → say → constituencies
The latest schedule, he added, was set for Oct 9, while the polling was originally planned for February this year.
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polling → add → February
The Islamabad Local Government (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 lapsed on Sep 6, under which data and maps had been obtained and delimitation of constituencies was underway, Malik said.
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Malik → lapse → constituencies
He added that final delimitations were published on Oct 14.
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delimitations → add → Oct
Malik said that two reminder letters were sent to the interior ministry, informing it of the lapse of the ordinance.
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letters → say → ordinance
However, the rules for Islamabad LG polls had not been provided yet.
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rules → provide → polls
“The Ministry of Law refused to vet the rules,” he claimed.
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he → refuse → rules
Noting that the federal government has not enacted a local government law, he said that elections should be held according to the 2015 Act.
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elections → note → Act
He requested the ECP to authorise elections accordingly.
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He → request → elections
ECP had sent its feedback on the Islamabad Local Government Rules to the Ministry of Interior on July 20, 2026, recommending that the legislation and rules be published accordingly.
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legislation → send → July
According to the ECP, the relevant legislation was approved by the standing committee on Sept 3, 2026.
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legislation → accord → Sept
However, the ordinance expired on Sept 6, before the legislation could be enacted.
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legislation → expire → Sept
Following Malik’s briefing, the interior secretary confirmed that the presented facts were accurate, but he argued, “If we revert to the 2015 law, everything will have to be scrapped”.
CEC Raja responded, “If we revert to the 2015 law, the delimitations will not be affected”.
Raja further told the hearing that the interior minister, interior secretary and the chief commissioner, on behalf of the ministerial committee, had provided an undertaking.
“It appears that the government does not wish to hold local government elections in Islamabad,” he said.
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he → follow → Islamabad
The CEC added, “The Constitution stipulates that elections must be held in accordance with the local government law.
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elections → add → law
“Compelled by the circumstances, we are now issuing an order for the Islamabad local government elections.”
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we → compel → elections
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
