Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Decides to Hold Local Body Elections Instead of Extending Term of Existing Councils

Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has decided to hold new local body elections instead of extending the term of the existing local councils. However, the new elections will be contingent on similar actions being taken by other provinces.
The Local Council Association has also announced that if the elections are not held within the designated time frame, they will approach the court for legal intervention.
Local body elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were held in two phases. The first phase took place on December 19, 2021, with local governments being formed on March 31, 2022. The second phase was held in June 2022 in the hilly areas. As a result, the local governments in the plains will dissolve by March 31, 2026, and those in the hilly regions by June 2026.
Representatives of local councils have raised concerns that during this period, they have not been allocated development funds, and their powers have not been properly defined. They have demanded an extension of their tenure. However, the provincial government has no plans to extend the term of local governments.
Provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam clarified that there are no plans to extend the tenure of local governments. He added that if the Punjab government is ready to hold local elections, the KP government will also proceed with holding the elections. Currently, local bodies in Punjab are not active.
Meanwhile, the Local Council Association has decided to approach the courts if elections are not conducted on time. Chairman of the association, Sarmadullah Mayar, stated that according to the Constitution, the tenure of local governments begins from the day the elected representatives take an oath. If elections are not held after the councils dissolve, the association will file a petition in court.
The association’s coordinator, Intizar Khalil, also emphasized that local representatives have not been given development funds nor allowed to function effectively. The association is currently negotiating with the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to extend the tenure of the local councils.