Punjab PA passes LG (Amendment) Bill 2017

Under the fresh amendment, local governments will
continue to work smoothly and uninterruptedly till 2022

LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Wednesday passed the Punjab Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2017 with majority vote after all the objections made by Opposition over it were rejected.Under the fresh amendment, the local governments would continue to work smoothly and uninterruptedly till 2022.

Three other bills, including the Punjab Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2017, Punjab Land Records Authority Bill 2016 and the University of Home Economics Lahore Bill 2017 were also passed with majority vote.Speaking on the floor of the House over the Punjab Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2017, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan stated that PA had made amendment to the role of deputy mayor who, according to the previous law, would have to quit the office of Union Council Chairman if he got elected as deputy mayor. However, he said now he would continue to hold both offices whereas the local governments, under the new amendment would remain functional till 2022.

Moreover, it also added the role of deputy mayor who could preside over the session of municipal corporation instead of the lord mayor,  the PA was told. Opposition members, including Arif Abbasi, Khadija Farooqi opposed it while criticising the government for doing legislation without properly taking the House members into confidence.

Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan while responding to the allegations stated that when the bill was discussed in the standing committee, Opposition had its representative in the form of Mian Aslam Iqbal, adding that all the amendments had already been endorsed by the Opposition sides.

Rana Sanaullah Khan on the occasion also said that the government wanted complete empowerment of the Local Government system and if the elected LG representatives wanted any further step in this regard, their recommendations would be welcomed by the House.