Local govt election in Punjab will be on party-basis, preparations in final stages: Fawad

Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said on Monday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Core Committee has decided that local government (LG) elections in Punjab will be held on party-basis, adding that preparations in this regard are in the final stages.

Talking to reporters in Islamabad after the Core Committee meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Fawad said that the mayors in Punjab will also be elected via the same process.

The information minister said that the Prime Minister made the promise of empowering the local government system and "we are working to fulfil that promise".

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The minister also said that PTI's representatives and workers have been told to prepare and participate in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) local bodies elections.

Last week, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued a schedule for the first phase of the upcoming LG elections of village/neighbourhood and tehsil/city councils in 17 out of total 35 districts of KP, where LG elections would be held on December 19.

The second phase of LG elections of village/neighbourhood and tehsil/city councils would be held in the remaining 18 districts of KP on January 16.

The 17 districts where LG elections are scheduled on December 19 include Peshawar, Buner, Bajaur, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Kohat, Karak, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Tank, Haripur, Khyber, Mohmand, Charsadda, Hangu and Lakki Marwat.

The remaining 18 districts where LG elections are scheduled on January 16 include Swat, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Upper Chitral, Lower Chitral, Shangla, Malakand, Kurram, Orakzai, Abbottabad, Battagram, Kolai Pallas, Mansehra, Torghar, Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan, North Waziristan and South Waziristan. So far, KP is the only province for which the ECP has issued LG elections schedule

Last month, Prime Minister had directed relevant officials to take steps for immediate holding of local government elections in Punjab and KP.

The premier had said that the local government system was the basic structure of democracy and stressed that without a strong system of local bodies democracy was incomplete.

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Meanwhile, Fawad, in his remarks, asked the ECP to withdraw the show-cause notice against him and Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati for not appearing before the electoral body in the contempt case.

On September 10, the Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs had a tumultuous session with the treasury members having categorically expressed their displeasure with the ECP for repeatedly opposing the federal government’s efforts to launch Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

“This ECP is good for nothing. It always rigged polls. It took bribes for that purpose - such institutions should be set on fire,” Swati had said in a hard-hitting diatribe against the ECP.

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“The ECP is making a mockery of the government’s efforts to hold free and fair elections. It would not be allowed to undermine democracy.”

The minister even suggested that the ECP should be “disbanded” and the Constitution should be amended to allow the government to hold general polls.

Seemingly embarrassed by the minister’s unexpected verbal offensive, the ECP officials walked out of the committee proceedings.

Later in the day, Fawad accused Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja of acting as a “mouthpiece for the opposition.”

On September 14, the ECP decided to seek proof from Swati regarding his allegations against the ECP.

It also decided to issue notices to Swati and Chaudhry for their public outbursts against the ECP.

A source in the ECP told Business Recorder that the ECP decided to initiate proceedings against the two federal ministers in the exercise of its powers under Section 10 of the Elections Act 2017.

This section grants the ECP the powers of a high court to punish for contempt.