Its All About Pakistan

05/02/10 LAHORE : Punjab Assembly in its 16th session here on Thursday passed "The Punjab Local Government (Amendment) Bill" amidst walk out by the opposition. The opposition, which had earlier shown dissent to the attitude of Treasury, pointed lack of quorum and its legislator Simil Kamran made a walk out prior to general walk out by them later.

The opposition, which had put a number of amendments in the bill, were overruled and when there last clause of the amendment suggestion was being heard, their patience was lost and they took back all of their proposed amendments, although a number of them were already rejected on record in the House earlier.

In the Punjab Assembly, in the absence of opposition that had withdrawn its amendments, Punjab Speaker further passed "The Punjab Mineral Development Corporation (Amendment Bill) 2009". The Speaker Rana Mushood also sent "The Punjab Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill 2010" and "The Punjab Privatisation Board Bill 2010" to the Standing Committees to report back by March 15,2010.

In the House, Senior Minister Raja Riaz showing dissent on the bill, said that they were not given development, jobs and other facilities in the last two-year period and it was on the instructions of President Zardari to move ahead with democracy that they were supporting the Local Government Amendment Bill.

The Punjab Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2010 was referred to the Standing Committee on Local Government and Rural Development on January 28, 2010. Under the amended bill, the government shall appoint an Election Authority for conducting elections of local governments for a term of 4 years. Under the act, no person shall be appointed as chairman unless he has been or is qualified to be judge of a Higher Court.

The bill enunciates that a member of the Election Authority shall be a person who is or has been in the service of Pakistan in BPS-20. The bill also proposes that the Local Governments whose tenure already stands expired, should immediately be dissolved and cushion period not exceeding one hundred and eighty days may be provided to the government to propose comprehensive systematic/legal reforms in the Local Government System and after its approval from the Provincial Assembly of Punjab, to hold local government election.

According to the bill, the government shall appoint a person as administrator for Local Government to perform the functions and exercise the powers of Nazim, Naib Nazim and Council under the ordinance or any other law. The bill further puts forth that as soon but not later that 180 days, the government shall notify a date for holding of election of the Local Governments. The bill substitutes 'Election Authority' in substitution of Election Commission.

Earlier, in the in the question session, Board of Revenue Minister Ishaq Chaudhry in reply to a query of MPA Sajida Mir averred that 50,127 acre of farms were under the supervision of army which include Military Farm Okara 17, 013 acre; Reenala Estate Okara 3195 Acres, Military Farm Lahore 2345 Acres; Military Farm Bhangali 4341 Acres; Army Stud Farm Prooban Abad 10,433 Acres; Remount Depot Sargodha 12,119 Acres; Army Stud Farm Pakpattan 5022 Acres.

To another query, the minister averred audit had been done of Nishtar Town and Aziz Bhatti Town from year 2005 to date. The minister said that Power of Attorneys were made under section 2, sub section 21 Stamp Act 1899 and there was no mention of value in it.

To a question, the minister stated that in PP145, Provincial Government possessed land measuring 167 kanal-two marlas. The Minister further told that land was there for 'Ghori Paal' schemes in Sargodha, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Okara, Sahiwal and Khanewal. Call Attention Notices were also dealt in the Assembly during the session. The House was adjourned by the Speaker later on, for Friday (9am).