ISLAMABAD: The embattled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced on Wednesday that it will participate in the upcoming local government elections in Islamabad, despite objections over recent amendments to the Local Government Act.
PTI Islamabad president Amir Mughal chaired a meeting where senior party leaders decided to contest the elections, aiming to secure a sweeping victory across the federal capital.
While PTI remains critical of the amendments, which it deems controversial, it has decided to actively participate and is moving forward with preparations for the LG elections.
A senior PTI official, speaking anonymously, clarified that although the decision to contest the elections was made at the meeting, final approval rests with party chairman Imran Khan, who is currently incarcerated, and will follow further discussions with senior party members in their next meeting with him.
The meeting also decided to form a Local Government Committee, led by Amir Ali Awan, to craft the party’s election manifesto and establish a campaign team.
PTI also decided to create a legal team to oversee the preparation of nomination papers and election campaigning.
The party’s parliamentary board will award tickets based on merit, ensuring the best candidates represent PTI in the local government elections.
A PTI spokesperson confirmed that ideological workers who have made significant sacrifices will be prioritised for ticket distribution.
Additionally, he said that the party has also decided to field candidates in every union council to strengthen its grassroots presence.
The meeting emphasised that forming the Local Government Committee is a critical step toward PTI’s strategic preparations, aiming to solidify its outreach and success in the upcoming elections.
The meeting was attended by Malik Amir Ali Awan, regional secretary and chairman of the local government committee, as well as senior leaders, including Senator Fauzia Arshad, Shoaib Shaheen, Farzand Shah, Ali Bukhari, and others.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) recently unveiled the schedule for Islamabad’s local government elections.
Public notices for nominations will be issued on 19 December, with a window for submitting nomination papers from 22-27 December.
The final list of candidates will be published on 29 December, followed by a scrutiny process from 30 December to 3 January 2026.
Appeals can be filed between 5-8 January, and final decisions on appeals will be made between 9-13 January.
A revised candidate list will be issued on 14 January, with the final date for withdrawal of candidacies set for 15 January. Polling will take place on Sunday, 15 February, with results expected between 16-19 February.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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