ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has written a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif seeking his intervention for issuance of a formal written request from the federal government to hold Local Government Elections in cantonments.

In a letter, the CEC said under Article 140-A (2) and 219(d) of the Constitution, read with Section-219 of the Elections Act, 2017, it was the constitutional and statutory obligation of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to organise and conduct local government elections in provinces, Islamabad Capital Territory and cantonment areas.

In the letter, the CEC noted that the last local government elections in cantonment boards were held on September 12, 2021, and the term of the 42 cantonment boards expired on April 11, 2026.

Under Section-219 (4) of the Elections Act, 2017, the ECP is legally bound to conduct elections within 120 days of expiry of the term.

Term of 42 cantonment boards expired on April 11; delimitation process already completed

The ECP said it had already completed delimitation of all 42 cantonment boards on April 20, 2026, and was “all set” to conduct the elections.

Citing Section-19D(2) of the Cantonments Act, 1924, the letter said the federal government was required to send a formal written request to the ECP for issuance of an election programme, including dates for filing of nomination papers, scrutiny, allotment of symbols and polling.

The CEC said the ECP held a consultative meeting with the Director General of ML&C and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Defence, on April 15, 2026, and asked the ministry to initiate a summary for the formal request.

As a follow-up, the ECP sent a letter on May 14, 2026, a reminder on June 3, 2026, and a D.O letter on June 16, 2026, to the Secretary, Ministry of Defence.

“However, no positive response has been received so far,” the letter said. The additional secretary of defence had informed that the summary had been sent to the PM Office.

“Keeping in view the facts above, it is requested that your excellency may personally intervene in this important matter related to public interest,” the CEC wrote, urging the PM to direct provision of the written request to enable the ECP to issue the election programme and fulfil its constitutional responsibility.

In a related development, the ECP has summoned Secretary of Defence retired Lieutenant General Muhammad Ali and Director General of Military Lands and Cantonments (ML&C) Major General Jawwad Ahmed Qazi over non-compliance of its directions regarding the conduct of local government elections in the cantonments across the country.

According to a cause list issued by the ECP, the secretary of defence and DG ML&C have been summoned for the case fixed for hearing on July 21.

Of the 42 cantonments, 20 are located in Punjab — Rawalpindi, Chaklala, Taxila, Wah, Attock, Kamra, Sanjwal, Jhelum, Mangla, Kharian, Murree Hills, Sargodha, Shorkot, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Lahore, Walton, Okara, Multan and Bahawalpur.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has 11 cantonments — Peshawar, Nowshera, Cherat, Risalpur, Mardan, Kohat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Abbottabad, Havelian and Murree Gallies. Sindh has eight cantonments — Pano Aqil, Hyderabad, Karachi, Clifton, Manora, Malir, Faisal and Korangi Creek.

And, in Balochistan, there are three cantonments— Quetta, Loralai and Zhob. In a meeting held on 15 April this year, the ministry of defence had suggested to the ECP to consult the federal government for finalising a date for holding LG elections in all 42 cantonments.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2026