The opposition in the Punjab Assembly sought more time to give its suggestions to the government over the draft Punjab Local Government Act (PLGA) 2021.
The government is trying to build a consensus over the new local government system being introduced in Punjab and it has reached out to its allied parties and the opposition.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) led by Chaudhrys of Gujrat is the most important ally of the government in Punjab and its key leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, who is the Punjab Assembly speaker, had voiced concern over the new local government system.
Elahi, who had assumed the charge of the acting governor in the absence of Chaudhry Sarwar, also sought briefings from the local government secretary and Local Government Minister Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed at the Governor’s House.
The government tried to allay concerns raised by Elahi, who in his capacity as the Punjab Assembly speaker formed a committee, comprising MPAs of all parties to discuss the bill before its formal consideration in the house.
The committee was constituted on the request of the PML-N-led opposition as its MPA Samiullah Khan had said that Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz wanted to give an input in the larger interest of the people of Punjab.
The 23-member powerful committee held its maiden meeting on Wednesday in the committee room of the Punjab Assembly chaired by Standing Committee on Local Government Chairman Sardar Farooq Amanullah Dareshak.
The meeting was attended by lawmakers belonging to PML-N, PPP, PTI and PML-Q. Some powerful ministers, including Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Raja Basharat, Local Government Minister Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht and Industries Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal also participated in the meeting.
PML-N’s Samiullah Khan, Malik Ahmad Khan, Sardar Awais Laghari and some other members participated in the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion, Local Government Minister Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed said that the government wanted to reach a consensus with the opposition.
Standing Committee on Local Government Chairman Sardar Farooq Amanullah Dareshak told the participants that the bill would be introduced in the house after getting a go-ahead by the meeting.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Raja Basharat said that the opposition would be given ample time to give its positive suggestions.
The members from the opposition sought more time to give its suggestions as it wants to discuss the bill with the representatives of PILDAT [Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency], civil society and its own mayors and deputy mayors. The next meeting of the committee will be held on January 10.
Federal Minister and PTI’s Central Punjab President Shafqat Mehmood also visited the Punjab Assembly the other day to reach a consensus with Speaker Elahi and other lawmakers.
