The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday called on the Punjab government to promptly respond to the draft election schedule and submit lists of officials for appointment as district returning officers, returning officers, and assistant returning officers. Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja presided over the meeting at the Election Commission Secretariat, which was attended by ECP members Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Muhammad Jatoi, Justice (retd) Ikramullah, the ECP secretary, and senior officials to review preparations for local government polls.

Despite its preparedness across the Federal Capital, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Quetta, and cantonment boards, the electoral body noted that legal and administrative issues continued to impede its efforts. The ECP confirmed it was ready to hold Punjab's local government elections after sending the provincial government a draft schedule.

For Islamabad, where delimitation was complete but the Federal Capital Amendment Ordinance 2026 had expired, the ECP decided to approach the federal government for immediate legislation. The commission warned that elections would otherwise proceed under the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, 2015.

Regarding cantonments, delimitation was also complete, yet the federal government had not formally requested the polls under Section 19-D(2) of the Cantonments Act, 2023, despite repeated reminders and a letter from the Chief Election Commissioner to the prime minister. Consequently, the ECP decided to send a final letter to the Defence Ministry before taking an appropriate decision.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the meeting was informed that delimitation was completed in 23 districts while remaining underway in seven districts. The ECP noted that a revised population threshold for village and neighbourhood councils, increased from 5,000-15,000 to 30,000-40,000, conflicted with the number of councils in the Ninth Schedule and rendered delimitation unfeasible, though no provincial action was taken despite urged amendments.

Existing local governments were reported to expire on February 8, 2027, while Quetta's elections remained pending despite a Federal Constitutional Court order. Although Quetta's delimitation was completed by May 21, 2026, the provincial government subsequently divided the city into two districts without providing boundary details, delaying the process and prompting the ECP to direct the government to finalise required legislation and comply with the court order.

Preparations for local government elections had additionally begun in Sindh.