RAWALPINDI: The caretaker boards have been nominated in Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantonment Boards till the next local government elections in the cantonment areas.

In Rawalpindi Cantonment Board, for civilian member Zahid Bakhtawari, who is president of the traders association, was appointed, and Lt Col Muhammad Shakeel was nominated from the armed forces.

In Chaklala Cantonment Board, former Vice President Malik Azhar Naeem was appointed a civilian member, and Lt Col Wali Khan was nominated from the armed forces.

The elected cantonment boards across the country, after completing their four-year tenure (from 2021 to 2025), dissolved on November 24.

The caretaker board was formed as per Section 191(2) of the Cantonments (Amendment) Act 2023. The caretaker cantonment board will comprise one civilian member and one member from the armed forces, and it will be led by the cantonment board president, who is the station commander of the respective area.

It made it clear that the civilian member so nominated will not be a candidate in the upcoming Cantonment Boards elections. A senior official of Chaklala Cantonment Board told Dawn that both civilian members gave written statements that they will not participate in the next local government elections.

He said that the caretaker board would work till the oath-taking of the newly elected members. He said that it was expected that the new elections would be held by March, and the election commission would announce elections soon. “CCB former Vice President Malik Azhar Naeem was appointed vice president again as he will not participate in the local government elections,” he said.

However, he said that the oath-taking ceremony would be held soon for the civilian member, as he will work as vice president.

He said that the caretaker board will approve all the development and policy matters in their respective areas.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2025