ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan (JI) on Thursday began a four-day public referendum to seek citizens’ views on the Punjab Local Government Act, JI emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced. The referendum aims to gauge public opinion before the party decides on further political actions, including potential demonstrations around the Punjab Assembly.
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Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said the referendum would be conducted independently and transparently. Autonomous referendum commissions at central and district levels have been tasked with supervising the process to ensure credibility.
مقامی حکومتوں کو اختیار دینے کے بجائے صوبائی حکومت کا قبضہ برقرار ہے ،
Punjab Referendum#پنجاب_لوکل_ایکٹ_نامنظور pic.twitter.com/wcLdOmi1AZ— Subuha Anjum Siddiqui (@SubuhaAnjum) January 14, 2026
He added that millions of people are expected to participate in the referendum, which will continue over four days. Camps have been established at intersections, markets, educational institutions, and other public locations to facilitate voting.
According to JI leadership, the printing of ballot papers has been completed and all logistical arrangements have been finalised. The party has emphasised that the process will strictly follow transparency protocols, allowing citizens to freely express their opinions on the local government law.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that once the referendum concludes, JI would review the results and plan a schedule for any political activity around the Punjab Assembly based on public sentiment. The party’s move comes amid growing political debates over local governance reforms in Punjab and is seen as an effort to involve citizens directly in the decision-making process.
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JI officials have urged people to participate actively and responsibly, highlighting the referendum as a platform for public voices to shape political priorities. The initiative marks one of the largest organised efforts by a political party in Pakistan to engage citizens on legislative matters outside formal election processes.