The Lahore High Court on Monday directed the Advocate General of Punjab to submit a reply by Thursday during the hearing of petitions challenging the Local Government Act 2025.
The hearing was conducted by Justice Sultan Tanvir, who took up multiple petitions filed against the new local government law. Petitioners included Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Jamaat-e-Islami and others. Advocates Azhar Siddique and Abozar Salman Niazi appeared on behalf of the petitioners, while Director General Law of the Election Commission of Pakistan, Khurram Shehzad, represented the ECP. The Local Government Department submitted its report to the court during the proceedings.
During the hearing, the government’s counsel stated that local government elections would be held on a party basis and political parties would be allowed to issue tickets. The court sought clarification on whether this meant elections would not be non-party based. In response, the petitioners’ counsel argued that if the government formally adopted this position, their challenge would no longer stand.
Addressing the court, DG Law Election Commission Khurram Shehzad said the ECP is a constitutional body and is bound to conduct elections under any law enacted by the government. He added that over the past four years, the Election Commission had written nearly 80 letters to the Punjab government regarding the holding of local government elections. He further informed the court that the provincial government had set January 10 as the deadline for completing election arrangements.
The court expressed concern over the failure of the Advocate General’s Office to submit its response, observing that the case could not proceed without a formal reply. The hearing of the petitions was adjourned until Thursday.
Sources: Lahore High Court proceedings, Election Commission of Pakistan representatives.
