Sanaullah says local bodies to be empowered

He was addressing newly elected chairmen of city councils

FAISALABAD: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has constituted a committee of legal experts to submit recommendations on how to empower local councils, Law Minister Rana Sana Ullah Khan said on Sunday night. The recommendations would be incorporated in the Local Government Act through an amendment bill, he said. 

Khan was speaking at an event held to congratulate 14 newly-elected chairmen of city councils in his provincial constituency PP-70. “The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz believes that local bodies are an important pillar of democracy.”

He said the government was aware of the importance of the local government system and was trying its best to implement the Punjab Local Government Act 2013 with the objective to devolve powers to the grassroots level.

“The present situation has encouraged the government to devolve more powers to local bodies in order to enable them to play a key role in solving people’s problems and ensuring civic amenities at the door step.”

Khan advised the chairmen to be cognisant and aware of disruptive elements and sycophants who might exploit their authority.

He said the chairmen would be given a direct line to the chief minister and a website portal would be developed for this purpose. The nomination of top slots in district councils and municipal corporations would be decided on the basis of the recommendations of a committee which had been constituted, he said. The committee will estimate the strength of candidates aspiring for the top slots.

“I would like to make one thing clear…the top seats in municipal committees, municipal corporations, and district councils will have to go to workers loyal to the PML-N.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2015.