Wednesday, 18 February 2015 00:15

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Tuesday passed The Local Government (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015 amid walk-out by JUI-F legislators to pave way for establishing Village and Neighbourhood Councils in all districts of the province.

The legislation namely The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015 was presented in the house by Senior Minister for Local Government, Inayatullah Khan. After delimitation of the councils by Election Commission of Pakistan, the provincial government by notification in the official Gazette will notify its establishment in all districts.

The Bill also included the proposed establishment of district and tehsil councils for district Kohistan and newly curved out district of Kohistan Lower.

Maulana Asmatullah, a JUI-F legislator from the district said that the proposed amendment is against the 1973 constitution, saying that the area is provincially administered tribal area and no legislation would be made for them without the approval of President of Pakistan. Furthermore, he termed it a subjudice matter.

The leader of opposition, Maulana Lutf-ur-Rehman also stood in support of his colleague and proposed constitution of a committee for carrying out detailed review of the legislation to come up with a unanimous solution of the matter.

The Senior Minister however declined to pay any heed to the proposals of the opposition legislators and said the provincial assembly has mandate of making legislation for districts of the province while districts are made on administrative basis.

He said as the Local Council is responsible for holding elections in all districts and tehsils, therefore, they are bringing the proposed amendment in the Local Government Act. He said that new district in Kohistan had already been made where Deputy Commissioner (DC) and District Police Officer (DPO) are also posted.

Regarding the contentions that the matter is subjudice, he said a petition in this regard has already been rejected by the Abbottabad Bench of Peshawar High Court. He dispelled the impression that the matter is repugnant to the constitution.

He said that after passage of the bill from the provincial assembly, a summary will be sent to the Governor and after his approval it would be sent to the President of Pakistan through the Department of Home and Tribal Affairs.

Read more:

PA adopts LG (Amendment) Bill amid JUI-F protest