Local government: Capital’s first mayor, deputy mayors take oaths
Deputy mayors sworn in despite parliamentary muddle over increased number.
The new mayor said the Sharif brothers were his role models. PHOTO: MUDASSAR RAJA/EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
Sheikh Ansar Aziz took the oath of office as the capital’s first ever mayor at Jinnah Convention Centre on Friday.
“I will follow in the footsteps of my leadership while initiating a new era of development in Islamabad,” Aziz said in his inauguration speech.
District and Sessions Judge Irum Niazi administered the oath.
The new mayor said the Sharif brothers were his role models and that he would serve the people of Islamabad while taking guidance from the duo.
The ceremony was attended by Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Affairs Asif Kirmani, and former and incumbent MPs of PML-N.
Aziz said the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation had already started working on devising short and long term plans to resolve long standing issues of the capital.
“Rehabilitation of municipal services and infrastructure and solid waste management will be done under short term plan,” the mayor said adding developing a landfill site and implementation of building bylaws would be focused under long term plan.
He also hinted at action in days to come against encroachments on public land in the capital.
“Islamabad’s natural beauty will not be compromised at any cost while carrying out development work,” he said while responding to a question to environment issues in the city.
The process of local government elections has been completed with inauguration of the mayor and three deputy mayors.
Pending legislation
Although legislation to give legal cover to the election of three deputy mayors of the capital is still pending with the parliament, they also took oaths on Friday.
The deputy mayors are Riffat Javed, Zeeshan Naqvi and Azam Khan, all from the PML-N.
The National Assembly passed a government bill increasing the number of deputy mayors to three amid opposition uproar on February 26.
The opposition-dominated Senate is yet to ratify the said legislation, which is scheduled to be placed before it in its next session.
The earlier ICT Local Government Act 2015 identifies only one slot of deputy mayor in the corporation. Later, through a presidential ordinance, the number of deputy mayor seats was enhanced to three.
The amendment has been placed before the parliament but the opposition parties including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the Pakistan People’s Party, Jamaat-e-Islami and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement are opposing it, alleging that the government was bulldozing unanimously adopted legislation through unilaterally-introduced amendments.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 5th, 2016.
Sheikh Ansar Aziz took the oath of office as the capital’s first ever mayor at Jinnah Convention Centre on Friday.
“I will follow in the footsteps of my leadership while initiating a new era of development in Islamabad,” Aziz said in his inauguration speech.
District and Sessions Judge Irum Niazi administered the oath.
The new mayor said the Sharif brothers were his role models and that he would serve the people of Islamabad while taking guidance from the duo.
The ceremony was attended by Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Affairs Asif Kirmani, and former and incumbent MPs of PML-N.
Aziz said the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation had already started working on devising short and long term plans to resolve long standing issues of the capital.
“Rehabilitation of municipal services and infrastructure and solid waste management will be done under short term plan,” the mayor said adding developing a landfill site and implementation of building bylaws would be focused under long term plan.
He also hinted at action in days to come against encroachments on public land in the capital.
“Islamabad’s natural beauty will not be compromised at any cost while carrying out development work,” he said while responding to a question to environment issues in the city.
The process of local government elections has been completed with inauguration of the mayor and three deputy mayors.
Pending legislation
Although legislation to give legal cover to the election of three deputy mayors of the capital is still pending with the parliament, they also took oaths on Friday.
The deputy mayors are Riffat Javed, Zeeshan Naqvi and Azam Khan, all from the PML-N.
The National Assembly passed a government bill increasing the number of deputy mayors to three amid opposition uproar on February 26.
The opposition-dominated Senate is yet to ratify the said legislation, which is scheduled to be placed before it in its next session.
The earlier ICT Local Government Act 2015 identifies only one slot of deputy mayor in the corporation. Later, through a presidential ordinance, the number of deputy mayor seats was enhanced to three.
The amendment has been placed before the parliament but the opposition parties including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the Pakistan People’s Party, Jamaat-e-Islami and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement are opposing it, alleging that the government was bulldozing unanimously adopted legislation through unilaterally-introduced amendments.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 5th, 2016.