{"id":104005,"date":"2026-01-22T22:51:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T22:51:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/hrcp-meet-expresses-reservation-on-punjab-local-govt-act-2025-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2026-01-22T22:51:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T22:51:09","slug":"hrcp-meet-expresses-reservation-on-punjab-local-govt-act-2025-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/hrcp-meet-expresses-reservation-on-punjab-local-govt-act-2025-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"HRCP meet expresses reservation on Punjab Local Govt Act 2025 | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"

Consultation participants agree local government is essential for democratic governance, effective service delivery<\/p>\n

A consultation held by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in Lahore on Thursday. \u2014 HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF PAKISTAN X <\/p>\n

\n
\n LAHORE: <\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Thursday\u00a0raised serious concerns over the Punjab Local Government Act 2025 that the law centralises power and undermines the constitutional framework of local government.<\/p>\n

A press release issued today by the HRCP said it held a\u00a0consultation\u00a0to examine the act that\u00a0brought together local government experts, legislators and civil society activists, who questioned whether the new law meaningfully upheld\u00a0the constitutional promise of local self-government.<\/p>\n

Legal expert Sheikh Sibghat Ullah said that Article 140A of the Constitution guaranteed\u00a0autonomous and\u00a0democratically elected local governments with political, administrative and financial authority. He said the new act weakened\u00a0this guarantee by making local bodies accountable to the provincial government and bureaucracy rather than to citizens.<\/p>\n

HRCP Treasurer Husain Naqi criticised the re-centralisation of authority through indirect elections, bureaucratic dominance and the reduced role of elected representatives. Election expert Tahir Mehdi said successive local government laws had restricted democratic development, and this act followed the same pattern.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Press release<\/p>\n

Punjab Local Government Act centralizes power, undermines devolution<\/p>\n

Lahore, 22 January 2026. A consultation held by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) to examine the Punjab Local Government Act 2025 brought together local government experts,\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/HzqGFvm0gd<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) January 22, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Local government expert Zahid Islam opposed the indirect election of key officeholders and referred to recent resolutions passed by the Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assemblies calling for constitutional reforms, including clear interpretation of Article 7, broader inclusion under Article 32 and a separate constitutional chapter on local governments. He also said reserved seats increased marginalisation and called for elections on a joint electorate basis.<\/p>\n

HRCP Director\u00a0Farah Zia suggested holding local, provincial and national elections on the same day to reduce uncertainty, a model planned for Gilgit-Baltistan.<\/p>\n

Concerns were also raised over representation and equality. Aurat Foundation representative Nabila Shaheen said the act lacked clear guarantees for meaningful participation of women and disadvantaged groups. Rights activist Samson Salamat warned that the inclusion of faith-based declarations in a local governance law could undermine the principle of a civic social contract.<\/p>\n

PML-N legislators Bushra Lodhi and Qudisa Batool maintained that the act would help address grassroots-level issues.<\/p>\n

Participants criticised the legislative process, noting that the act was passed on the day it was presented amid an opposition walkout, raising questions over transparency. PTI representative Imtiaz Mehmood said the law effectively removed the role of political parties, an issue currently under judicial challenge.<\/p>\n

Concluding the consultation, HRCP Punjab Vice-Chair Raja Ashraf said elections in Pakistan had historically remained contested.<\/p>\n

Most participants agreed that local government was essential for democratic governance and effective service delivery, but the Punjab Local Government Act 2025 strengthened central control instead of devolving power.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n