The Lahore High Court (LHC) has constituted a three-member bench, led by Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, to hear petitions seeking local government elections in Punjab within 90 days. Justices Farooq Haider and Tariq Nadeem will also be part of the bench.
Jamaat-e-Islami, through its Lahore Region Ameer Ziauddin Ansari, filed a petition urging the court to direct the concerned authorities to conduct local government elections in Punjab.
The petition names the Federation of Pakistan, the Punjab government, the Election Commission of Pakistan, the Punjab Provincial Election Commission, the Punjab Local Government Ministry, and the Chief Secretary Punjab as respondents.
The petitioner contends that the delay in holding local body elections is unconstitutional and violates fundamental rights under Article 140-A of the Constitution.
He argued that the failure to conduct elections undermines the spirit of the 18th Amendment, which devolves power to local governments, and deprives citizens of their right to grassroots governance. He further stated that the Punjab government's inaction violates principles of transparency, accountability, and participatory democracy, adversely affecting governance and local development.
Jamaat-e-Islami maintains that as a party committed to upholding constitutional and democratic values, it has the responsibility to safeguard the public interest and democratic rights of the people.
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