HomeNet Pakistan urges Maryam Nawaz to ensure timely local elections in Punjab

By Ume Laila Azhar

LAHORE: HomeNet Pakistan (HNP) and its partners have urged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to lead transparent, inclusive and empowered local governance reforms, stressing the need for timely local government elections, meaningful devolution of power, stronger women’s grassroots leadership and dedicated budgets for implementing laws relating to women.

In their call for restoring local democracy in Punjab, the organisations emphasised that elected local governments were essential for accountable governance, effective public service delivery and meaningful participation by women and marginalised communities in decision-making.

Local government: The foundation of grassroots democracy

For millions of people across Punjab, local government is the tier of governance closest to their everyday lives. Sanitation, drainage, birth and death registration, livelihood opportunities, social protection and community development all depend on effective local institutions.

Elected local governments enable citizens to influence development priorities, participate in decisions affecting their communities and hold representatives accountable.

However, Punjab has experienced a prolonged absence of elected local governments since the previous local governments completed their terms on December 31, 2021. Subsequent changes to the legal and administrative framework delayed elections, weakening grassroots representation and limiting public participation in local decision-making.

HNP and its partners have called for renewed efforts to restore elected local institutions and strengthen democratic accountability at the community level.

Restoring the third tier of government

The Punjab Local Government Act 2025 provides a framework for local governments as the third tier of government, with provisions relating to the devolution of political, administrative and financial authority.

However, meaningful devolution requires more than legislation. Elected local institutions must have clearly defined responsibilities, adequate financial resources and sufficient administrative autonomy to fulfil their mandates.

As Punjab moves towards local government elections, HNP and its partners have called for a transparent electoral process and a binding legal commitment to hold local government elections within 90 days of provincial elections or the formation of a provincial government, as applicable under a clearly defined legal framework.

They propose that this timeline be considered for incorporation into the relevant legislation to prevent prolonged gaps in elected local representation.

The organisations have also called on Maryam Nawaz to demonstrate leadership in strengthening local democracy and ensuring that governance reforms translate into effective public services and greater citizen participation.

Building on previous advocacy

HNP, a member of the Pakistan Development Alliance (PDA), has contributed to the local governance debate through the Strengthening Local Governments to Promote Democracy in Pakistan (SLGPD) project, implemented in partnership with AwazCDS-Pakistan.

The initiative has included multi-stakeholder advocacy panels, meetings with members of the Punjab Assembly and standing committees, engagement with political party representatives, media briefings, policy briefs and the establishment of a Citizen Forum on Local Government in Punjab.

These activities have brought together women home-based workers, civil society organisations, parliamentarians, legal experts, academics and governance stakeholders to discuss democratic accountability and inclusive governance.

A central focus of the advocacy has been Article 140-A of the Constitution of Pakistan, which provides for elected local governments and the devolution of political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority to elected representatives.

HNP and its partners maintain that constitutional commitments to local democracy must be reflected in practical arrangements that enable local governments to function effectively.

Women’s grassroots leadership must be a priority

The organisations have stressed that women’s political participation must extend beyond voting and representation through reserved seats.

Political parties should promote women’s grassroots leadership, particularly among home-based workers and marginalised communities, enabling them to shape policies, contest elections and influence local development priorities.

They have called on political parties to translate their manifesto commitments into practical measures that recognise women as decision-makers in local planning and budgeting.

Priority areas should include workplace safety, childcare, access to public services, social protection, mobility and economic opportunities.

Greater participation by women in local governance would also help ensure that development priorities reflect the needs of communities whose concerns may otherwise receive insufficient attention.

HNP and its partners have urged the Punjab government to create an enabling environment in which women can participate meaningfully in political processes and exercise leadership in local institutions.

Dedicated budgets needed to implement women-related laws

A major concern is the gap between the passage of laws relating to women and their effective implementation.

When responsibilities, resources and accountability remain concentrated at the provincial level, local needs may not receive timely or adequately coordinated responses.

HNP has called for elected local governments to receive clearly defined functions, adequate budgets and appropriate administrative authority to support the implementation of applicable women-related laws and policies.

This should include locally responsive planning, referral and coordination mechanisms, public awareness initiatives, accessible services and monitoring of implementation within the legal mandate of each institution.

Dedicated budget allocations, gender-responsive planning and public reporting would help ensure that legal and policy commitments translate into practical improvements in women’s lives.

The organisations have also emphasised that local governments should coordinate with relevant provincial departments and specialised institutions rather than replace their statutory responsibilities.

Meaningful devolution and public accountability

Elections alone cannot guarantee effective local democracy. Article 140-A must be implemented through meaningful political, administrative and financial devolution.

Local governments need predictable funding, clearly defined responsibilities and the institutional capacity to respond to community priorities.

Women, home-based workers, informal workers, persons with disabilities and low-income communities must have meaningful opportunities to participate in local planning, budgeting and oversight.

Citizen forums, public consultations, accessible complaint mechanisms and social accountability initiatives can strengthen transparency and ensure that elected representatives remain responsive to the people they serve.

The organisations have stressed that public participation should continue beyond election day, allowing citizens to monitor development projects, assess service delivery and raise concerns about local administration.

From advocacy to action

HNP, the Citizen Forum on Local Government, AwazCDS-Pakistan and PDA can build on their previous advocacy by convening a Punjab Local Governance Dialogue involving civil society organisations, women workers, parliamentarians, political representatives and governance experts.

The proposed dialogue could help develop practical recommendations for strengthening local institutions, expanding women’s political participation and improving accountability in public service delivery.

Political parties should be encouraged to honour their manifesto commitments by recognising local government as an essential third tier of democratic governance, supporting timely elections, promoting women’s grassroots leadership and ensuring adequate resources for inclusive service delivery.

HNP and its partners have called on Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to lead reforms that establish a transparent, inclusive and adequately empowered local government system in Punjab.

Such a system, they argue, is essential to enabling women and marginalised communities to influence decisions, hold public institutions accountable and participate meaningfully in shaping the province’s future.

Restoring local democracy requires more than holding elections. It demands empowered institutions, meaningful devolution, adequate funding and a sustained commitment to inclusive and accountable governance.