Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), recently challenged the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to hold local elections in Islamabad and Lahore within 90 days. PML-N leader Saad Rafique retorted that Punjab should not replicate 'Karachi's electoral model', referencing allegations by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) that the ruling PPP manipulated local elections in Karachi.
Verbal Sparring Masks Uncomfortable Truth
While such exchanges make dramatic headlines, they mask the uncomfortable truth that every political party, without exception, has exploited legal loopholes to delay local bodies elections. Punjab has effectively functioned without elected local representatives since its local governments were dissolved in 2019. Since their scheduled terms expired in December 2021, the province has undergone a series of legal resets, each designed to postpone the vote.
Islamabad's Absurd Situation
Islamabad's situation is even more absurd: local elections have been postponed six times in five years, with candidates wasting millions in nomination fees and campaigning. This is not merely a waste of money but a fundamental erosion of citizens' constitutional rights. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) admits that federal and provincial governments frequently amend local laws after terms expire, causing undue delays.
Parties Reluctant to Empower People
The reason is simple: parties do not want local elections because they would bring more power to the people. Despite harping about its admittedly important role in passing the 18th Amendment, the PPP, like the PML-N, shows little enthusiasm for financial, administrative or political devolution from provinces to local communities. Such devolution would risk breaking the patronage networks that sustain political dynasties.
PTI's Record on Local Elections
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has not been any better. During Imran Khan's premiership, when the party and its allies controlled most of the country, local elections were similarly sidelined. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), local bodies were effectively neutered, and development funds were rerouted through provincial lawmakers.
Inverse Relationship Between Support and Influence
It is clear that every party's support for local elections has an inverse relationship to its influence in the relevant provincial assembly. The ECP has noted that federal and provincial governments frequently amend local laws after terms expire, causing undue delays, further entrenching the status quo.
