ECP suspends local government elections across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa until further orders

The wait for local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has just got a lot longer. The Election Commission of Pakistan on Thursday suspended all preparations for the polls across the province until further orders, telling the authorities concerned to stop every election-related activity at once. No new date was announced — when voters will go to the polls now depends on the constitutional roadblocks being cleared first.

Why the polls were stopped

The decision came at a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, which examined Federal Government Order No. 3, issued on 4 November. Under that order, the suspension of Article 140-A of the Constitution was extended to all remaining districts of the province. The commission said Article 140-A guarantees the establishment of local governments in the provinces, and its clause (2) makes holding local government elections the commission’s constitutional responsibility — but with the article suspended, holding the polls in the remaining districts was no longer possible.

How it got here

Only last week the commission had told its offices to press ahead in the 23 districts where delimitation was complete. Twelve districts — including Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Mohmand, Orakzai and North Waziristan — were already out of the process under an earlier federal order of 11 October, after governor’s rule and emergency measures were imposed there. The commission said all steps taken so far in the province now stand suspended until the legal complications are resolved, leaving the return of elected municipal institutions in the province uncertain.

Punjab polls set for 7 February

The same meeting fixed 7 February 2027 for the first phase of local government elections in Punjab. The commission accepted the Punjab government’s request to hold the polls after 20 January, citing weather conditions and administrative needs.