Islamabad to be first to elect mayor directly

ISLAMABAD: The federal capital will be the first city in the history of Pakistan to directly elect its mayor on the basis of adult franchise. 

The federal government has decided to amend the existing local bodies laws to facilitate a new system of election on urgent basis.

Sources told The News that the PMLN Quaid Nawaz Sharif had conceived the idea of having mayors of the major cities directly elected and now Islamabad will be the first in this regard.

The National Assembly, in its session today (Thursday) afternoon, would deliberate upon the legislation for the purpose. The drafted amendment has been made a part of the agenda, issued by the National Assembly Secretariat here on Wednesday.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan will introduce the bill in NA to amend the Capital Territory Local Government Act, 2015 (The Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2022. The minister will move it under Rule 288 of the Rules and Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007 that the requirement of Rule 122 of the said Rules be suspended in order to take up the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

After passage of the motion, Rana Sanaullah Khan will put up legislative business and accordingly he will ask that the bill introduced in the NA, be taken into consideration at once. He will place the Bill in a motion for its passage in the House.

The sources pointed out that initially, the session was convened for the single point agenda but in a fresh move the government has also decided to take up some legislation in the House.

Interestingly, the session of the National Assembly has been summoned when the whole attention is diverted to the political developments in Lahore for Punjab administration. It is likely State Minister for Interior Abdul Rehman Kanju may pilot legislative business in the absence of Rana Sanaullah Khan, who is engaged with political hobnob in Lahore.

The NA sitting will have added significance since it is taking place on the day when PTI members of the National Assembly who had tendered their resignations on April 11, would come to the Parliament House for urging Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to accept their resignations.

The National Assembly will also discuss calling attention notice by JUIF members Maulana Muhammad Jamaluddini, Ms Aliya Kamran, Maulana Saleh-ud-Din Ayubi on a matter of urgent public importance regarding non-provision of laptops to students of Madaris and erstwhile Fata as admissible to students of universities, causing grave concern amongst the public.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Javed Abbasi will move the bill to further amend the Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance Act, 1969 [The Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2022], as reported by the Standing Committee. The minister will move it under Rule 288 of the Rules and Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007 that the requirement of Rule 122 of the said Rules be suspended in order to take up the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

After passage of the motion, Rana Sanaullah Khan will put up legislative business and accordingly he will ask that the bill introduced in the NA, be taken into consideration at once. He will place the Bill in a motion for its passage in the House.

The sources pointed out that initially, the session was convened for the single point agenda but in a fresh move the government has also decided to take up some legislation in the House.

Interestingly, the session of the National Assembly has been summoned when the whole attention is diverted to the political developments in Lahore for Punjab administration. It is likely State Minister for Interior Abdul Rehman Kanju may pilot legislative business in the absence of Rana Sanaullah Khan, who is engaged with political hobnob in Lahore.

The NA sitting will have added significance since it is taking place on the day when PTI members of the National Assembly who had tendered their resignations on April 11, would come to the Parliament House for urging Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to accept their resignations.

The National Assembly will also discuss calling attention notice by JUIF members Maulana Muhammad Jamaluddini, Ms Aliya Kamran, Maulana Saleh-ud-Din Ayubi on a matter of urgent public importance regarding non-provision of laptops to students of Madaris and erstwhile Fata as admissible to students of universities, causing grave concern amongst the public.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Javed Abbasi will move the bill to further amend the Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance Act, 1969 [The Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2022], as reported by the Standing Committee.