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Imran Khan proposed LG Act-mayor of Islamabad to be elected directly
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday agreed, in principle, to the proposed Local Government Act under which the mayor of Islamabad would be elected directly.
Under the new local government system, the number of union councils will also be increased from the existing 50 to 100. The prime minister reviewed and approved the draft Local Government Act at a meeting, sources said.
The meeting was attended by all the three MNAs from Islamabad - Planning Minister Asad Umar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on CDA Affairs Ali Nawaz Awan and Raja Khurram Nawaz - and CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed.
The sources said the Act would be presented before the federal cabinet on Tuesday (today). According to the sources, the prime minister said local government elections should be held in Islamabad as soon as possible.
The elections will be held on a party basis, they added.
The last local government elections were held in Islamabad in Nov 2015 on the direction of the Supreme Court after the federal government at that time adopted delaying tactics.
Following the local government elections, the mayor and deputy mayors belonging to the PML-N were elected in March 2016. However, the PML-N-dominated local government could not deliver as it was not given due attention by the federal government. Later, when the PTI came into power, it too did not release any fund to the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI). The local government completed its five-year tenure in February this year without carrying out any development activity.
Even the elected representatives were not paid their honorarium.
However, the sources said, Prime Minister Khan directed that under the new system the local government should be given maximum powers to resolve issues of the public.
During the meeting, the PM also stressed the need for a uniform system to regulate buildings in the federal capital. He directed the CDA to use modern technologies such as drone cameras to keep a check on encroachments.
The prime minister also directed for more tree plantations in Islamabad.
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