LG-related legislation not to affect delimitation drive in ICT
ISLAMABAD: The upcoming legislation related to Islamabad’s local government laws would not affect the ongoing delimitation drive launched by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the federal capital that is scheduled to complete next month, it is learnt.
Earlier on Thursday, the National Assembly’s interior panel had passed the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2026, a legislative draft that seeks to introduce an LG system in Islamabad that would comprise three town corporations, each to be headed by a mayor and two deputy mayors.
The bill is based on the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 that was promulgated by the federal government on 10 January this year.
The ordinance was subsequently extended for a period of 120 days with effect from 9 May, and is due to expire today (5 September).
The Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2026 is expected to be passed by the two houses of the Parliament in their respective upcoming sessions.
On 16 January this year, the ECP notified the postponement of LG polls in the ICT, that were scheduled on 15 February, citing the promulgation of the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 by the government.
An ECP official told Business Recorder that the ECP’s ongoing delimitation exercise (1 August-14 October), in order to hold the LG polls in the federal capital, would stay unaffected by the bill.
“The LG polls bill is in continuity to the presidential ordinance. The bill would simply translate the ordinance into law, which, in no way, would affect the future of the LG elections in Islamabad,” said the official, requesting anonymity.
Previously, on 4 September 2024, the ECP notified to hold in abeyance the LG polls in Islamabad that were scheduled on 9 October 2024, following the passage of the new LG laws by the Parliament then, in the form of he Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Act 2024, dated 30 August 2024.
The ECP has repeatedly stated that it is ready to hold the LG polls but the governments concerned amend the related LG laws whenever the LG polls are announced that causes delay in these elections.
In a press release issued on 31 July this year, the ECP revealed that the federal government had refused to entertain an electoral body’s proposal to carry out parliamentary legislation in order to restrict the federal and provincial governments from amending the LG laws after the expiry of the respective local bodies’ terms in order to avoid delay in the LG polls.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026