LAHORE: A provincial roundtable conference on the “Need and Importance of Immediate Elections to Local Government Institutions in Punjab” was held in Lahore, bringing together a wide spectrum of stakeholders including male and female legal experts, politicians, parliamentarians, government officials, political representatives, civil society members, academia, media professionals and community members representing urban and rural constituencies.
The conference drew participation from approximately 200 individuals representing diverse sectors across Punjab. Among the notable attendees were Mr. Zeeshan Rafique Provincial Minister, for local government and community development, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora Provincial Minister for Minorities and Human Rights, and Chaudhary Tariq Subhani Chairman Punjab Land Record Authority. They stated that the government is focused to conduct local government elections in near future and all the necessary procedural arrangement being completed at a reasonable pace. There will be no delay in the conduct of elections to a fully empowered local government system in Punjab.
Following detailed deliberations, participants unanimously emphasized the urgent need to conduct local government elections in Punjab without further delay. While acknowledging the efforts of the provincial government and the Punjab Assembly in promulgating the Punjab Local Government Act (PLGA) 2025, the forum urged authorities to expedite the electoral process to ensure that elected local governments become operational within the coming year.
Speaking at the occasion Prof. Dr. Amjad Magsi underscored the need of a robust local government system for addressing everyday public issues effectively and ensuring efficient service delivery at the grassroots level. He stressed that empowered local institutions are key to responsive governance and democratic accountability.
On the occasion, Arshad Mahmood Mirza highlighted the necessity of aligning the local government system with Articles 32 and 140-A of the Constitution of Pakistan. He called for the meaningful devolution of administrative, financial, and legal powers to local tiers in line with constitutional provisions, particularly under the 18th Amendment. He noted that such empowerment would enable district, tehsil and union council level institutions to perform their responsibilities more effectively.
Mirza also raised concerns about overlapping administrative structures in major cities including Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Gujranwala, and Sargodha. He warned that the coexistence of Town Corporations alongside district-level authorities could lead to coordination challenges and inefficiencies in governance.
Adding to the discussion, Salman Abid recommended the restoration of Metropolitan Corporations in major urban centers, with Town Corporations functioning under their administrative framework to ensure better coordination and streamlined governance.
Mr. Zahid Islam Executive Director Sangat Development Foundation proposed several structural reforms to improve the effectiveness of local government institutions. These included the formation of Union Councils based on population size, with each council representing 25,000 to 30,000 people, and the replacement of the existing multi-member ward system with nine single-member wards in each Union Council. He also recommended increasing Union Council seats from 13 to 15 and conducting elections through direct adult franchise and secret ballot. Additionally, it was proposed that political parties should be allowed to contest elections to the local government institutions through party-based panels and symbols.
Highlighting gender concerns, Ms. Bushra Khaliq expressed serious reservations over the low representation of women in the proposed system, terming it “disappointing.” She pointed out that allocating only one reserved seat for women in Union Councils is insufficient and fails to ensure meaningful participation.
Echoing these concerns, Ms. Hina Noureen recommended increasing women’s representation to at least three seats per Union Council and raising overall representation in local bodies from the current 14 percent to between 25 and 33 percent. Speakers also noted that existing structural limitations may hinder genuine participation of women, particularly in rural areas where socio-political barriers remain significant.
The conference further stressed the importance of inclusive representation for marginalized groups, including minorities, farmers, laborers, youth, persons with disabilities, and transgender individuals. Participants observed that these groups are often underrepresented in decision-making processes and must be adequately integrated into the local governance framework.
Mr. Muhammad Tahseen Executive Director South Asia Partnership demanded that financial autonomy be provided to the local government institutions He called for granting local government institutions the authority to generate and utilize their own resources. He recommended that at least 25 percent of the Punjab Consolidated Fund be allocated to local governments through the Provincial Finance Commission Award. He also demanded the restoration of grants previously provided in lieu of octroi, export taxes, and toll taxes, emphasizing that such funds should not be merged into the provincial consolidated fund.
Mr. Irfan Mufti highlighted the need for a transparent accountability mechanism and improved public access to information. He stressed the importance of enhancing citizen participation in decision-making processes, particularly at the village level, to strengthen democratic engagement.
The forum firmly rejected the “show of hands” method for elections and demanded that all local government elections be conducted through secret ballot to ensure transparency and credibility.
In its concluding remarks, the conference appealed to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan, and other lawmakers to take immediate notice of the recommendations and introduce necessary amendments through legislation or a Governor’s Ordinance.
Participants described the conference as one of the most comprehensive and successful consultations on local government reforms in Punjab. They concluded with a unified message that strong local governments are fundamental to a strong democracy and serve as a guarantee of civil liberties and effective governance at the grassroots level.
