Pakistan's Election Commission has ordered local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but only in districts where delimitation of constituencies is already complete. A five-member bench announced its reserved verdict on Wednesday, 28 October, with Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja reading out the decision. The Commission directed its relevant wing to prepare and submit an election programme for approval, the first formal step towards a polling timetable.

Why 12 districts are held back

Twelve districts are held back under federal emergency arrangements put in place on 11 October, which created an Area Development Secretariat and an Area Representative and Development Council. Five districts — Bannu, Mohmand, Orakzai, Lakki Marwat and North Waziristan — are excluded from the immediate election programme, while delimitation schedules are held back for seven others: Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bajaur, Khyber, Kurram, Upper South Waziristan and Lower South Waziristan. The federal government cited deteriorating security and weaknesses in provincial counter-terrorism efforts when it took that step.

What happens next

Local bodies' terms in the province expired in March and June 2026, so the verdict aims to restore local representation where that is possible. The Commission has also ordered technical adjustments, including recalculation of village and neighbourhood councils and reserved seats in specified tehsils. Until the election programme is approved, however, voters in the ready districts have a direction of travel rather than a date — and voters in the 12 held-back districts have neither, as no polling date has been announced.

Sources: Commerce News, Particle News.