PM directs PML-N KP unit to prepare for local government polls

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed the PML-N's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa parliamentary party to prepare fully for local government elections in the province and to make the party more active there, at a meeting in Islamabad where he also set out the reasons for the emergency and governor's rule in force in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Aaj News reported that the meeting discussed the province's security situation in detail as well as its political situation, and that decisions were taken on making the PML-N more active in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Organisational office-bearers were told to concentrate on election activity and on preparations for the local government polls.

The instruction came a day after the Election Commission of Pakistan ordered immediate local government elections in every district where delimitation has been completed. A five-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, delivering its reserved judgement on 28 October on the delay, directed the provincial government and the relevant election authorities to draw up a schedule. Delimitation is complete in 23 districts; in the remaining districts the commission ordered that the delimitation schedule be issued.

The commission said no local government elections would be held for now in 12 tribal districts affected by the constitutional emergency: Kurram, Upper Waziristan, Lower Waziristan, North Waziristan, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Tank and Dera Ismail Khan. The provincial administration had asked for the polls there to be postponed, citing the law and order situation, the deployment of troops in some areas and the emergency. The ECP also directed the provincial government and district administrations to ensure the security and administrative arrangements needed to hold the vote.

Local government elections in the province have been delayed since the constitutional term of the existing councils ran out. The four-year term of the bodies elected in the first phase ended in March 2026 and that of the second-phase bodies in June 2026; amendments to the local government laws and other administrative problems held up the delimitation process.

The federal cabinet approved the imposition of emergency and governor's rule under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution at a meeting chaired by the prime minister on 11 October 2026, and President Asif Ali Zardari signed the summary the same day on the prime minister's advice. The government cited a deteriorating law and order situation and a lack of the cooperation it sought in counter-terrorism operations. Governor Faisal Karim Kundi was placed in charge of the province's administrative affairs, with an 11-member advisory council to assist him. A joint sitting of parliament endorsed the presidential proclamations on 15 October 2026.

At Thursday's meeting a committee was formed to make the province's development work and the party's organisational activity more effective, comprising Amir Muqam, Zahid Khan, Murtaza Abbasi, Rana Sanaullah and Ahsan Iqbal. Amir Muqam is authorised to add further members from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the committee will draft recommendations on development and organisational matters.

UrduPoint reported that the governor, speaking separately, said the army had given a full response to Afghan aggression and that anyone who attacks Pakistan's security would be answered.

It was not immediately clear from the reports when the election schedule for the 23 districts would be issued.