Latest news with #ElectionsAct2017
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
ECP may summon PM, Punjab CM over LG polls delay
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) can summon Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz over continuous delay in local government elections in the country's federal capital and the largest province. This was stated by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, Monday, heading a five-member full bench of the ECP, during the hearing on delay in LG elections in Punjab. 'The ECP cannot keep its eyes closed over this delay,' he told Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique. 'There should be some progress till next hearing of this case—if there's no progress, then we will issue an order regarding LG elections in Punjab—that would be embarrassing for you,' the CEC told the minister. 'Your party is in government in Punjab and at the centre. The local government elections have not been held in both the areas. On the other hand, local government elections in three provinces have been held,' Raja added. Punjab LG minister offered to share the draft of Punjab LG rules with the electoral body. The matter involving Punjab LG elections is pending with the related committee of the provincial government, he said. 'We will try to get the required legislation done as soon as possible,' Rafique said. The CEC responded that the ECP can summon the PM and the CM Punjab over delay in LG elections in Islamabad and Punjab. The case was adjourned but the next date of hearing was not fixed. Presently, the local bodies are in place in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and cantonment boards but LG elections in Punjab and federal capital have been facing an inordinate delay since 2021. The local bodies term in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) expired on 14 February 2021, and in Punjab on 31 December 2021. The ECP is bound to hold LG elections within 120 days of the expiry of local bodies' term, under Section 219(4) of the Elections Act 2017. This law provides that the ECP shall hold elections to the local governments within 120 days of the expiry of the term of a local governments of a province, cantonment or ICT. Article 218(3) of the Constitution of Pakistan provides that it shall be the ECP's duty to organise and conduct the elections, and to make such arrangements as are necessary to ensure that an election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with law, and that corrupt practices are guarded against. The ECP says that whenever it finalises the LG polls' preparations, the LG laws are amended by the governments concerned, causing delay in the elections. According to the poll body, it carried out delimitation exercises four times in Punjab and five times in ICT for LG elections before the LG laws were amended each time by the governments concerned, shortly after the related polls schedules were issued. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
ECP reschedules hearing of Punjab LG polls delay case
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rescheduled till Monday the hearing of a case involving the delay in local government elections in Punjab that was scheduled tomorrow (Thursday). Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman and Secretary LG Punjab Shakeel Ahmad Mian have been summoned by the ECP in this case. Before this case was rescheduled, the ECP officials, in a meeting with a Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) delegation, on Tuesday, had confirmed that the ECP would hear this case on Thursday. The ECP officials briefed the JI delegation regarding delay in the conduct of LG elections in Punjab and Islamabad, said an official statement issued after this meeting. But, later in the day, the poll body issued a delisting notice for Punjab LG polls delay case citing unavailability of the bench hearing this case on Thursday. Presently, the local bodies are in place in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and cantonment boards but LG elections in Punjab and federal capital have been facing an inordinate delay since 2021. The local bodies' term in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) expired on 14 February 2021 and in Punjab on 31 December 2021. The ECP is bound to hold LG elections within 120 days of the expiry of local bodies' term, under Section 219(4) of the Elections Act 2017. This law provides that the ECP shall hold elections to the local governments within 120 days of the expiry of the term of local governments of a province, cantonment or ICT. Article 218(3) of the Constitution of Pakistan provides that it shall be the ECP's duty to organise and conduct the elections, and to make such arrangements as are necessary to ensure that an election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with law, and that corrupt practices are guarded against. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Women lawmakers, civil society demand end to symbolic representation in politics
PESHAWAR: Women parliamentarians, civil society actors, and policy experts gathered at a high-level roundtable titled 'Raising Her Voice in Politics', jointly hosted by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and the Women's Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) comprising parliamentarians from National Assembly and Senate of Pakistan PPP, PML-N, PTI, JUI, and MQM-P to spotlight Pakistan's persistent gaps in women's political representation and to push for immediate party and legislative reforms. In her welcome remarks from Chairperson, Women Parliamentarians Caucus, MNA Shahida Rehmani, who lauded SDPI for organizing the forum. 'It's a shared goal to not only include women in political parties but empower them to shape their own futures,' she said. Dr Rehmani further stated, 'Despite the 5% quota requirement under the Elections Act 2017, compliance remains weak, these figures reflect not just underrepresentation but active gate keeping within party structures.' Dr Rehmani also emphasized that women face systemic challenges within political parties and called for urgent solutions to ensure gender parity. She underscored the need for a binding 33% representation in all new political formations and highlighted gender policy equality as the critical path forward. As per the SDPI research, Pakistan's demographic reality further underscores the urgency of reform. Women make up 49% of the country's population, with 59 million registered female voters as of 2024. However, only 42% of women cast their votes in the last general election a 5% decline from 2018. Despite this numerical strength, women's influence in political decision-making remains minimal. An SDPI analysis of the constitutions of 19 political parties represented in Parliament found that only five parties complied with the 5% women's general seat nomination requirement. Notably, the Balochistan National Party and Awami National Party included 9 and 10 women, respectively, in their Central Executive Committees; highlighting a few examples of positive practice, though far from the norm. To better understand the legal framework, SDPI reviewed the Political Parties Order (PPO) 2002 and the Elections Act 2017. While the 2013 amendment to PPO 2002 enabled the introduction of a 5% nomination quota for women on general seats, another provision; calling for 33% representation of women political workers in all elected and non-elected bodies of political parties, was sidelined during legislative discussions and remains unimplemented. In light of these findings, Qasim Shah, Deputy Executive Director SDPI, stated ' A set of recommendations for urgent legislative and institutional reform. First, Section 208 of the Elections Act 2017 should be amended to require political parties to ensure at least 33% representation of women as office bearers in both elected and non-elected bodies — proportionate to the female population. Second, Section 202 of the same Act, which mandates a minimum of 2,000 members for party registration, should be revised to include a mandatory requirement of 33% female membership, ensuring gender-inclusive party formation from the outset.' Parliamentarians and Senators present at the roundtable welcomed these recommendations and voiced their support for institutional reform, gender audits, and accountability within political parties. They emphasized the need for a shift away from tokenism toward meaningful inclusion. In his vote of thanks, Dr. Abid Qayyum Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI, said, 'It's not enough to offer symbolic seats or fulfill quotas on paper. For democracy to be inclusive, women must be empowered to lead from the front. Marginalization of women is a global issue. Even the United Nations has yet to elect a woman Secretary General,' he said, citing the 'One for Eight Billion' campaign. Dr. Suleri urged an amendment to the Election Commission Act 2019 to enforce women's inclusion in political processes. In her closing remarks, MNA Tahira Aurangzeb of PML-N praised SDPI's efforts and reaffirmed the Caucus's commitment to progressive reforms. 'Women should comprise 50% of all political parties,' she said. 'They not only bring inclusivity but also utilize development funds more effectively. Punjab's progress under female leadership is testament to that.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Political parties: ECP accepts intra-party polls
ISLAMABAD: While the PTI intra-party polls case remains pending with the ECP for almost three years, the poll body has recently accepted the intra-party elections of yet another political party — this time PML-Q — and issued it the related certificate in acceptance of these elections. Chaudhry Shujat Hussain is the President of Pakistan Muslim League-Q (Quaid-e-Azam) or Q-League, his son Salik Hussain is the party's Senior Vice President, and Tariq Hassan is the party's Secretary General — all elected unopposed —according to intra-party elections certificate issued to Q-League by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Member National Assembly (MNA) Tariq Bashir Cheema and Senator Kamil Ali Agha, the two Q-Leaguers who separately held the position of the party's Secretary General, have not been given any position in the new set-up. Since last year, besides PML-Q, the ECP has accepted the intra-party elections of mainstream political parties including PML-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP). Intra-party elections of the political parties are generally regarded as being of symbolic significance, and the ECP mostly accepts the related certificates submitted to it by the political parties regarding completion of their respective intra-party polls. Holding intra-party elections is a mandatory requirement for every political party under the relevant election laws. Section 208(1) of the Elections Act 2017 provides that the office-bearers of a political party at the federal, provincial and local levels, wherever applicable, shall be elected periodically in accordance with the constitution of the political party: Provided that a period, not exceeding five years, shall intervene between any two elections. However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) intra-party polls case sees a prolonged delay of almost three years, under highly questionable circumstances, amidst serious allegations of foul play on part of the ECP. The electoral entity has rejected the legality of these elections thrice, since June 2022, allegedly out of politically motivated reasons. Apart from PTI, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) is another political party, the intra-party elections case of which is pending with the ECP since last year. Last September, the JUI-F sought two-month time from the electoral entity in holding the intra-party elections, citing its 'hectic engagements' with the government related to the 26th Constitutional Amendment, a controversial legislative draft that allegedly aimed at clipping some key powers of the superior judiciary. The 26th Constitutional Amendment was passed by the Parliament in October. Still, the JUI-F intra-party elections case is pending amidst the reports the political party is yet to complete its party polls process countrywide. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
LG polls in ICT: ECP-govt officials talks remain inconclusive
ISLAMABAD: Uncert ainty continues shrouding the fate of local government elections in the federal capital, as another meeting between the poll body and federal government officials on holding the much-delayed polls remained inconclusive on Friday. In this context, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) again passed the buck on the federal government for lingering delay in the LG polls. Not attended by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, the meeting was attended by other senior officials of ECP, and those of Interior Ministry and Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICTA). 'Whenever the ECP finalises the polls preparations, local government laws are amended,' said an ECP statement issued after the meeting. The ECP issued a similar statement this February after the hearing of a case related to persistent delay in LG elections in Punjab, Pakistan's largest province. In Friday's meeting, the ECP officials asked the Interior Ministry representatives to ensure the conduct of LG elections in Islamabad. The ministry officials informed the meeting that the amended draft of Islamabad Local Government Act 2025 was presented in the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) meeting on 30th April. Following CCLC's approval, the draft would be sent to the federal cabinet for its nod, after which, it would be sent to the Parliament for legislation, the officials said. 'If the government does not show seriousness in holding the LG elections in Islamabad, then ECP would fix the matter for regular hearing, and issue orders accordingly, the implementation of which would be mandatory,' said the ECP statement issued after Friday's meeting. Presently, the local bodies are in place in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan but LG elections in Punjab and federal capital have been facing an inordinate delay since 2021. The local bodies' term in ICT expired on 14th February 2021, and in Punjab on 31st December 2021. The ECP is bound to hold LG elections within 120 days of the expiry of local bodies' term, under Section 219(4) of the Elections Act 2017. This law provides that the ECP shall hold elections to the local governments within 120 days of the expiry of the term of local governments of a province, cantonment or ICT. Article 218(3) of the Constitution provides that it shall be the ECP's duty to organise and conduct the elections, and to make such arrangements as are necessary to ensure that an election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with law, and that corrupt practices are guarded against. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
