Pakistan forms committee to review amendments to local government law — Dawn
In Pakistan’s Sindh province, the provincial assembly formed a special committee of 11 lawmakers to review a bill amending the 2013 local government law. The committee is to submit its report within a week, Dawn reports.
Seven committee members represent the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party, while four represent opposition parties. The body includes Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, Jameel Soomro, Jam Khan Shoro, Qasim Soomro, Saleem Baloch, Sumeta Afzal and Saeed Ghani. The opposition is represented by Iftikhar Alam and Taha Ahmed of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, Muhammad Shabbir Qureshi of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, and Muhammad Farooq of Jamaat-e-Islami.
Status of mayors after their terms end
The bill, introduced by Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, stipulates that after a council’s term expires, an outgoing mayor or chairperson will continue to exercise the powers and perform the functions of the council as an administrator. This will continue until the newly elected head assumes office.
It is also proposed that the government be required, 120 days before the end of a council’s term, to ask the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold new elections within the following 120 days. The government will be able to assign the duties of deputy mayor or deputy chairperson to another council member if the official is outside Pakistan or unable to perform their duties.
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Reconciliation forums and council powers
The document proposes establishing reconciliation forums in every union council, union committee, town committee and municipal committee. Each forum will include three mediators nominated by the council from among residents known for integrity, sound judgment and standing. They will handle the peaceful settlement of local disputes under an established procedure.
In addition, union councils are to identify problems with solid waste management, violations in building control and unauthorized construction, and notify the relevant authorities. The bill also allows councils to establish institutions independently or in partnership with the private sector and provides for detailed maps of community infrastructure to be attached to documents.
At the same sitting, the assembly passed amendments to Sindh’s motor vehicle law. According to Excise Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla, if a vehicle remains in a car dealer’s showroom, the penalty for non-registration will not apply for six months instead of one.
