ECP orders local government polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts, exempts 12

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday ordered that local government elections be held immediately in those districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where delimitation has been completed. Areas under special emergency arrangements will be exempt.

The commission directed the relevant wing to submit the election programme for districts with completed delimitation for approval. It also ordered the issuance of delimitation schedules for districts where delimitation is still pending.

The decision was announced by a five-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. The bench included Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Muhammad Jatoi, Babar Hassan Bharwana and Justice (retd) Ikramullah Khan. The decision had been reserved a day earlier.

Provincial authorities had sought a postponement of the elections, citing the law and order situation, the imposition of emergency and the deployment of the army under Article 245 of the Constitution. On 11 October, the federal government had enforced emergency measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and imposed governor’s rule in the province.

According to the order, Bannu, Mohmand, Orakzai, Lakki Marwat and North Waziristan have been excluded from the preparation of the election programme. Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bajaur, Khyber, Kurram, Lower South Waziristan and Upper South Waziristan have been exempted from the delimitation schedule.

The commission also directed its office to determine the number of village and neighbourhood councils in Karak, Hangu, Swat, Bar Swat, Batagram, Paharpur and Alai in line with existing revenue boundaries. It also directed the office to fix the category-wise reserved seats for each tehsil council. According to the commission, the aim is to make timely delimitation and elections possible in districts outside the special arrangements.

According to The Express Tribune, local government elections in the province have been pending since the terms of the existing bodies ended. The term of the first phase ended in March 2026 and that of the second in June 2026.