Until new elections, each board will operate under a two-member interim structure.
RAWALPINDI:
The four-year tenure of elected public representatives in 37 of the 44 cantonment boards across the country has ended. Now new elections will be held in these cantonments.
In view of the completion of their terms, the elected members of these cantonment boards have been relieved of their posts and interim boards are now being formed. The Ministry of Defense has sent a letter to the Department of Military Lands and Cantonments (MLC).
Until new elections, each board will operate under a two-member interim board composed of one designated civilian member and one designated military member.
Each cantonment board will send the names of these members to the regional director of the MLC. These decisions were made in a meeting chaired by the director general of the MLC.
The four-year term of elected public representatives in 37 cantonment boards (including Rawalpindi, Chaklala, Lahore, Karachi and others) ended on October 10, 2025.
Subsequently, the positions of elected vice presidents and elected members of the board of directors were terminated with immediate effect and they were prohibited from attending future meetings of the board of directors.
For the remaining seven cantonment boards, a decision will be taken once the tenure of their elected members ends. Until the next local body elections, these 37 cantonment boards will function under a two-member interim board.
The executive officers of all cantonments were directed to submit by November 26, before the close of office hours, the names of one nominated civilian member and one military member.
The civilian member will not participate in the upcoming cantonment elections, while the military member will be appointed by the station headquarters concerned.
These names will be sent to the MLC Director General through the MLC Regional Director. Decisions from the last meeting of the elected boards must also be presented to the two-member interim board.
Four years ago, local government elections in all cantonment boards were held on a party-wise basis under the supervision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). However, the term of office of elected members is counted from the date they take the oath.
Cantonments are permanent bases of the Pakistan Armed Forces, administered by Cantonment Boards under the control of the MLC. The cantonments are established and governed by the Cantonment Act, 1924. In recent times, the demographic character of most of the independence era cantonments has changed.
