ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan slammed the federal government and the Punjab government over repeatedly postponing local bodies elections, announcing launching protest drive in case the government is failing to hold timely elections. Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, flanked by Deputy JI chief Mian Muhammad Aslam and Islamabad chapter chief Nasrullah Randhawa, said the JI Pakistan in first phase is starting a four-day public referendum from Thursday (today) to gauge public opinion on the Punjab Local Government Act. Naeem said that an independent and transparent referendum process had been arranged under the supervision of autonomous referendum commissions at central and district levels. He said that millions of people would participate in the exercise, after which a schedule for surrounding the Punjab Assembly would be announced in the light of public opinion. He said the referendum would continue for four days, with camps set up at intersections, markets, educational institutions and other public places across Punjab. According to him, the printing of ballot papers has been completed, and all arrangements have been finalised to ensure transparency. Rejecting the Islamabad Local Government Ordinance, the JI chief demanded its immediate withdrawal and called for LG elections in the federal capital according to the previously announced schedule of February 15. He also announced that JI would challenge the ordinance in court. Deputy JI Emir Mian Muhammad Aslam and Ameer Islamabad Nasrullah Randhawa were also present at the press conference. Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that empowered local governments and student unions were the “nurseries of democracy,” but regretted that none of the so-called major political parties were willing to talk about strengthening democracy or empowering the people. He said student unions were banned and local governments practically non-existent, while a bureaucracy trained under colonial traditions continued to control all powers. He stressed that the bureaucracy must remain subordinate to elected representatives. Speaking on Islamabad’s civic issues, he said that around 23,000 trees had been cut in the federal capital, saying the ruling elite was destroying the environment despite global rhetoric on climate protection. He demanded that those responsible for tree-cutting be identified and sent to jail. He also highlighted poor road conditions, a dilapidated sewerage system and worsening water shortages in Islamabad, saying that the absence of an effective local government system had left citizens unheard. Criticising recent LG laws, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said Islamabad had been divided into three cities under the new ordinance, while Lahore had been downgraded to a town under the Punjab Local Government Act. He demanded that all powers guaranteed under Article 140-A of the Constitution be fully devolved to local governments in both Islamabad and Punjab. He termed the Punjab Local Government Act unconstitutional and anti-democratic, saying that amendments had distorted the spirit of the Constitution. He said the ruling elite feared the people and was attempting to extend what he described as a “market of power” down to the grassroots level through non-party local government elections. Responding to a question on international affairs, the JI chief said the US President Donald Trump was violating international laws and engaging in what he termed global “bullying.” He said Pakistan’s rulers should express remorse over nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize and apologise to the nation. He also stated that sending Pakistani troops to Gaza would be unacceptable under any circumstances. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026