‘Punjab government will conduct LG elections as soon as possible’

LAHORE: Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique has assured that the Punjab government will conduct local government elections as soon as possible, emphasising that in this regard, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was doing its job.

“The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) believes in strengthening local bodies,” he stated while addressing a round table conference on local government elections on Tuesday. He mentioned that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif formed a committee to draft the Local Government Act immediately upon taking office, and this committee has been diligently working to prepare the legislation.

“It is important to note that the highest number of elections in Punjab occurred during the PML-N governments. Our policy is clear: we will not disrupt the functioning of the local body system.

Unfortunately, in 2018, 58,000 local government representatives were suspended through a notification, and even after the Supreme Court’s decision, the local government system was not restored,” he added.

Rafique emphasised that he has consistently assured various platforms that elections will be held in accordance with the newly established law. “We have been committed to organising local body elections without delay.

The local government department completed the delimitation process on time, and you can expect no holdups throughout the procedure. Furthermore, following the instructions of the Election Commission of Pakistan, there will be no delays in the future,” he stated.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026