Green light: Islamabad local govt bill sails through lower house

Elections to be held on a non-party basis, much to PPP’s annoyance.

ISLAMABAD:

In a landmark move, the National Assembly on Thursday passed the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Bill 2014 into law, despite the protestations of the largest opposition party, Pakistan People’s Party.

The PPP, among other things, opposed a clause in the bill that requires the Islamabad local body elections to be held on a non-party basis.

Though the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz refused to accommodate a PPP request to amend this clause, it did take some of the party’s other suggestions into consideration.

These amendments include 33 per cent of seats in the metropolitan corporation being reserved for women, and a significant number of representatives from the youth, technocrats and peasants. Other amendments are related to delimitation by the government but after concurrence of the Election Commission of Pakistan and taxation-related issues.

The last local body elections in Islamabad were held in 1979, but only in rural areas of the city, with all urban areas excluded from the exercise.

LG composition

The bill states that the local government will consist of union councils and a metropolitan corporation. Each union council (UC) will consist of a chairman, vice-chairman, six general members, two women, and one member each representing the youth, peasants and minorities.

Functions LG polls

The metropolitan corporation will be responsible for implementing rules and bylaws governing public utilities, enforcing municipal bylaws, and approving developmental schemes.

Moreover, the corporation will also be responsible for developing and managing water supply and sanitation services for the city and other functions that are currently performed by the CDA through its Directorate of Municipal Administration.

It would also be responsible for maintaining and developing markets, weekly bazaars, parks, sport grounds, graveyards, slaughterhouses, death and birth registration centres, road and streets, community and cultural centres, and other urban renewal programs.

Revenue Generation

The PML-N on Thursday incorporated an amendment to the local government bill which shifts responsibility for property tax collection from the CDA to the local government.

The local government will also generate revenue by collecting fees for water, drainage, conservancy, approval of residential and commercial buildings plans, markets, bus stands, different licences, permits, tolls, and other taxes approved by the government.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2015.