Lahore, Punjab: Rwadari Tehreek Pakistan’s Public Assembly raises concerns and questions on the newly promulgated Local Government Act in Punjab for non-party elections and for denying direct elections on reserved seats.    

Rwadari Tehreek Pakistan’s in collaboration with Christians’ True Spirit and Human Friends Organization held a Public Assembly on November 7, 2025 at Lahore Press Club to raise concerns and questions on the newly promulgated Punjab Local Government Act 2025. The Public Assembly was participated by scores of political, social and human rights activists, prominent religious, social and political figures belonging to religious minorities including Mr. Samson Salamat (Chairman Rwadari Tehreek Pakistan), Mr. Ashar Sarfraz & Kathrine Sapna Karamat (Chief Executive & Director of Christians’ True Spirit), Ms. Saeeda Diep (Chairperson CPSS), Mr. Sajid Christopher (President Human Friends Organization) Mr. Saleem Bhatti (Deputy Information Secretary PPP Punjab), Rev. Amjad Niamat (Chairman Ecumenism, Human Rights & Interfaith harmony Commission) and Mr. Shoaib Nabi Gill (Political Activist of Pakistan Tehreek -e-Insaf), Chaudhary Tariq Siraj (Chairman Mutehida Masihi Party), Mr. Nadeem Hassan Advocate,  Rubecca Harrison Advocate and Riaz Anjum Advocate. 

The participants of the Public Assembly were of the view that despite the fact that the Article 140-A of Pakistan’s Constitution guarantees administrative, financial, and political authority to elected local government representatives, the recently passed Punjab Local Government Act is contrary to the essence of democratic values & principles and constitutional guarantees, which has stirred significant political and public reaction regarding the holding of election on non-party basis, allowing significant administrative and financial powers to civil bureaucrats and denying direct elections on the reserved seats for minorities, women, labour/ peasant and youth. Opposition Parties, civil society and ordinary citizens, too, are wondering — will this new act truly bring governance closer to the people, or is it another political maneuver to centralize power. 

While speaking to the participants of the Public Assembly Chairman Rwadari Tehreek Mr. Samson Salamat said that “our primary concern is that under the Punjab Local Government Act 2025, elections will be held on a non-party basis, sidelining the political representation, therefore the law seems going against democratic principles and will lead to a lack of accountability and transparency -without a party affiliation, voters won’t know what policies or principles their local candidates stand for”. 

“The Punjab Local Government Act 2025 allows significant administrative and financial powers to civil bureaucrats at the district and tehsil (sub-district) levels as two new entities — the District Municipal Coordination Forum and Joint Authorities will have bureaucrats playing a central role, meaning that  the elected representatives will lose control over local decisions” Mr. Samson Salamat added.    

Mr. Samson Salamat further said that our biggest concern is the undemocratic and unfair adoption of the Selection System on reserve seats in the Punjab Local Government Act which is likely to deepen the political marginalization of the weaker segments of the society including minorities, women and labour.   

The representation of religious minorities in the form of proportional representation  in the national and provincial assemblies since 2002 have proved to be counter productive and voiceless for religious minorities but unfortunately has been further devolved in Punjab’s local government system. 

As per the current practices, in the general elections for National & Provincial Assemblies, the religious minorities’ voters are denied to elect and decide their own representatives on reserve seats through direct vote but contrary the political parties enjoy an undemocratic and merit-less authority to pick and chose the representative on minority seats according to their own choice which is Selection Not Election.   

In the newly promulgated Punjab Local Government Act 2025 reserve seats have been allocated for the representation of minorities, women, labour/ peasant and youth in the lowest tier i.e. Union Council but 8 elected General Councilor will have the decision power to Select and not Elect the representatives on reserve seats- they can chose whoever they want. There is an ample fear among the marginalized sections of the society that the ruling elite shall manage to lead the way for thousands of hand-picked people of their own choice in the local government system, which shall promote political marginalization leading to social marginalization, horse-trading, political manoeuvring and dictatorial decision making.