LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) faces the prospect of being completely shut out of the upcoming Punjab local government polls, as the party remains without an official election symbol.

According to officials familiar with the development, the PTI may be unable to field its candidates in the polls since the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has yet to allot it a symbol — a prerequisite for participation under the new Local Government Act.

The officials said under the recently enacted law, any candidate elected as an independent councillor must join a political party within 30 days of assuming office. However, with PTI lacking formal registration and a symbol, independents supportive of the party will neither be able to affiliate themselves with it nor face disciplinary action from its leadership if they act against party lines.

The PTI’s intra-party election dispute has been pending before the ECP for the past 19 months. Legal experts said PTI’s lawyers have shown little urgency in resolving the matter, resulting in prolonged delays. The ECP has also suspended proceedings owing to a stay order issued by the Lahore High Court, effectively stalling the case.

Meanwhile, Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan said the new Local Government Act, 2025, was still awaiting his signature.

Uncertainty prevails as governor is yet to assent to bill

Speaking at a reception, the governor remarked that he would decide on the bill after receiving a detailed briefing.

“I have yet to fully understand the new law,” he said. “The secretary for local government will brief me on Monday (tomorrow), and only then I will take a final decision.”

The Punjab Assembly had passed the new local government bill last Monday as the ECP began delimitation process under the PLGA 2022 to hold elections for local bodies in December, rejecting all excuses of the Punjab government in finalising and enacting the new law.

Observers say that with legal ambiguities unresolved and the local government framework awaiting gubernatorial assent, the timeline and political complexion of Punjab’s local elections remain uncertain — with PTI’s participation hanging in the balance.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2025