Basharat urges Opp to support LG bill in PA

LAHORE: Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Local Government (LG) Raja Basharat has said that the opposition should support the government for passing Local Government Bill 2019 in order to empower people at the grassroots.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, Raja Basharat said the opposition has no right to bar the government from its constitutional right of legislation in the Punjab Assembly. “The Treasury has always tried to run the legislative business by taking the opposition along and we expect a positive attitude when LG bill will be tabled for approval,” Basharat said.

New LG law does not belong to one party rather it is keenly close to the aspirations of the public who needs political as well as financial autonomy. These gifts of democracy are rightly ensured in the proposed LG law, the minister added.

Raja Basharat hoped that the LG bill would smoothly be passed as till now all the process was going entirely within the constructional limits. He said once the new law is approved, a new era of local bodies will start in Punjab as each village and Mohallah would have its own powerful local body.

The minorities first time in the history of Pakistan could be able to elect representatives from within their own community. The elimination of District and Union Council will back the process of real change at lower level. The law ensures independence of new local bodies from the district administration's interference as well, he added.

Pervaiz, Moonis condole with Nawaz Sukhera, Jamal Sukhera: Speaker Punjab Assembly Ch Pervaiz Elahi and Moonis Elahi, MNA, visited the residence of Federal Secretary Finance Sardar Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera and Advocate General Punjab Sardar Ahmed Jamal Sukhera here on Sunday and offered Fateha for the departed soul of their father Sardar Aslam Sukhera.

According to a press release, the PML-Q leadership prayed for solace and patience for the bereaved family. Ch Pervaiz Elahi said: “We share your family’s grief.” On this occasion lawyers Nadir Duggal and Asif Cheema were present.

Ulema laud OIC award for Tahir Ashrafi: The OIC Peace Award for Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, chairman, Pakistan Ulema Council, is the acknowledgment of the struggle on part of ulema and Mashaykh of Pakistan for eradication of terrorism, extremism and sectarian violence from Pakistan and the Muslim world.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) should play an effective role in solving the problems faced by the Muslim Ummah by seeking an end to foreign interference responsible for rising sectarian disputes within the Muslim countries, said ulema and Mashaykh at a press conference here.

The ulema from different schools of thought, including Maulana Zialul Haq Naqshbandi, Prof Zakirur Rehman, Maulana Muhammad Khan Ludhyanvi, Maulana Zubair Ahmed Zaheer, Maulana Aseedur Rehman, Qari Shamsul Haq, Maulana Mubashar Raheemi, Allama Sajjad Naqvi, Allama Tahirul Hassan and Maulana Tahir Aqeel Awan stated that an ideological alliance was being formed to contain the menace of terrorism, extremism and sectarian violence.

The conference participants also urged on the leading ulema, Mashaykh and religious scholars of the Muslim world to come forward to contain the rising propaganda of terrorist and extremist organisations.

Islam is a religion of peace and harmony, they said, adding, Islamic teachings have nothing to do with the propaganda of extremist and terrorist organisations. They said OIC conferred Peace Award upon Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi which was an honour and acknowledgment of efforts on part of Pakistan Ulema Council for peace and harmony in Pakistan and the Muslim world. They also announced that special congregations would be held during the month of Ramazan to promote the message of peace.