Pakistan, July 8 -- The Election Commission's latest warning to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and federal authorities should embarrass more than one office. Local government is the tier of democracy closest to citizens, yet it remains the easiest to postpone.

The ECP has already censured governments for unnecessarily delaying local polls and warned that creating hurdles may attract serious consequences. This is welcome, but it also raises an uncomfortable question: how many more warnings are needed before a constitutional obligation is treated as binding?

Islamabad offers the clearest indictment. The capital has been without an elected mayor since February 2021. In fact, since Islamabad became the federal capital in 1967, it has had...