QUETTA: Four major parties on Wednesday filed separate constitutional petitions before the Balochistan High Court seeking a ruling to postpone the upcoming local government elections in Quetta, scheduled for December 28, after the Election Commission of Pakistan rejected a request in this regard.

Three ruling coalition partners — Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) — as well as Awami National Party (ANP) approached the BHC, requesting that the upcoming Quetta Metropolitan Corporation and District Council Quetta elections should be postponed due to harsh cold weather, issues related to voters lists and non-completion of limitation of constituencies.

The parties also expressed their apprehensions regarding law and order situation.

While PML-N leader Younis Baloch claimed that the petitions were filed by PPP, PML-N, BAP and Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), the latter denied his claim. “Our party has launched a full campaign in favour of its candidates fielded for contesting the election,” Faysal Kakar, spokesman for the party, told Dawn.

PPP, PML-N, BAP and PkMAP approach Balochistan High Court to seek delay

Also, the provincial president of Pashtoonkhwa National Awami Party (PkNAP) Nasrullah Zerey denied the filing of a petition for election postponement.

However, the parliamentary leader of ANP in Balochistan Assembly, Zamarak Khan Piralizai, confirmed to Dawn that his party did file a petition for the postponement of Local bodies’ election in Quetta district.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti earlier opposed the conduct of local bodies elections in Quetta district this month and asked the Election Commission of Pakistan for postponement, informing it the government was working on legislation to make local governments effective.

He also told reports that the term of the existing local bodies’ institutions in the province would end over the next nine months and holding LG polls in Quetta only was without justification.

“Holding of election for Quetta Metropolitan Corporation (QMC) will be an unnecessary practice,” Chief Minister Bugti said, adding that election in Quetta should be held according to new local bodies law being introduced.

The BHC had ordered the ECP to hold local bodies’ election in Quetta two months back, dismissing all petitions against the holding of the election. Sub­sequently, the provincial election commissioner, Balochistan, announced the election schedule, with Dec 28 set as day of polling.

The Balochistan government filed an appeal in the election commission for the postponement of Quetta election but the appeal was rejected.

The chief minister also petitioned the ECP, which rejected the plea.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2025