PHOTO: FILE
The Punjab Assembly on Wednesday passed the Local Government Amendment Bill with a clear majority despite heavy criticism from opposition benches.
Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal chaired the session.
The Punjab Food Authority Amendment Ordinance 2015, the Punjab Special Protection Unit Ordinance 2015 and the Punjab Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority Amendment Ordinance 2015 were all granted extension for 90 days.
Members from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) voiced concerns over the bill and proposed four amendments.
PTI’s Shanila Ruth said that the law was an embarrassment to the House. “Minority voters have failed to make a difference in mainstream politics…it is because we have never been allowed to do so,” she said.
Leader of the Opposition Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed said that the law would sideline more than half the province’s population. “Selection of women through nomination by their parties is an insult to half of our population,” he said.
Rasheed said that indirect election on reserved seats would exclude women, youth, workers and minorities from mainstream politics. “This legislation should have devolved more administrative, legislative and financial powers to the masses. It is doing exactly the opposite,” he said.
Arif Abbasi, Faiza Malik, Sardar Vickas Hassan Mokal and Saadia Sohail, too, criticised the bill.
Earlier, treasury member Shahzad Munshi raised the issue of protests by several leaders of minority communities outside the assembly. The law minister said that a meeting was planned with the protesters.
Sanaullah said the constitution did not bar minority voters or women from being elected on general seats. “They can participate in the elections from any seat. The bill aims to make it easier for the marginalised segments of society to be elected through reservation of seats. Indirect election to reserved seats is also the practice in the National Assembly, provincial assembly and Senate elections,” he said.
He also criticised the conduct of local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Multiple ballot papers created several issues. The purpose of having fewer ballots is to ensure smooth voting,” he said.
Ghayasuddin and Inamullah Niazi spoke on the issue of a salary raise for lawmakers. The speaker said that the House would be informed about it on Thursday.
The leader of the opposition demanded that the government ensure that police stop harassing and pressuring people ahead of the NA-122 by-election. He said that two PTI workers had been murdered. Rasheed said that the ruling party had turned the by-poll into a matter of life and death. “If the government does not put an end to coercion, this election will turn bloody,” Rasheed said. PTI then members staged a walkout from the session. The speaker sent ministers Farukh Javed and Nadeem Kamran to negotiate with the PTI members, who then agreed to return.
Four ordinances including the Punjab Private Educational Institutions (Promotion and Regulation) Amendment Ordinance, the Ali Institute of Education Lahore Amendment Ordinance, the Ghazi University Dera Ghazi Khan Second Amendment Ordinance and the Punjab Urban Immoveable Property Tax Amendment Ordinance were sent to standing committees after they were laid before the house.
The Punjab Flood Plain Regulation Bill 2015 was also introduced in the House by the law minister.
The session will resume on Thursday (today) at 10:30am.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 8th, 2015.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ