KP Assembly passes Local Govt Amendment Bill 2016

ISLAMABAD: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly transacted most of its agenda and passed the KP Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2016 amid walkout by the opposition Wednesday, says Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) in daily factsheet.

The KP Assembly met for an hour and 31 minutes. The sitting started at 1512 hours against the scheduled time of 1500 hours. Thirty two lawmakers (26%) were present at the start while 44 (35%) at the adjournment of the sitting. A maximum of 50 members (40%) were observed to be present at one point of the sitting.

The speaker chaired the entire sitting. The deputy speaker was also present. The chief minister was not present while the leader of the opposition attended the entire sitting. The parliamentary leaders of JI, QWP, PML-N and ANP attended the proceedings. The assembly adopted a resolution to declare July 8 as National Charity Day in connection with the death anniversary of Abdul Sattar Edhi. Provincial law minister presented the ‘KP Taking Over of the Industrial Estate or Economic Zones Ordinance 2016’. The House passed the KP Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2016.

The House witnessed introduction of KP Tuberculosis Notification Bill 2016 while another bill on the agenda the ‘KP Prohibition of Tobacco and Protection of Non-Smoker Health Bill 2016’ could not be introduced.

The House debated an adjournment motion regarding the sense of deprivation among the people of south districts despite having huge natural resources. A JUI-F lawmaker while sponsoring the motion took six minutes to express his views while the law minister spoke on it for five minutes.