PESHAWAR, Nov 21: The local body elections, especially its final phase, came under scathing criticism from the opposition benches in the NWFP Assembly on Monday, alleging that selling and purchasing of votes was reported in the Oct 6 elections. Opposition leader in the NWFP Assembly Shahzada Gustasip Khan, Awami National Party’s parliamentary leader Bashir Ahmed Bilour and PML-N leader Anwar Kamal Khan participated in the debate on the LB polls.

The session, presided over by Speaker Bakht Jehan, also adopted a resolution unanimously, asking the federal government to rationalize and reduce the price of petroleum products in the country in wake of price reduction at international level. The resolution was tabled by Mr Bilour.

The session was also adjourned for 30 minutes in the morning when one of the members pointed out lack of quorum.

Mr Bilour alleged that corruption and vote-selling was reported from many districts in the recent local body elections.

He said the LB polls held on non-party basis paved the way for rigging and corruption.

He said that owing to the unstable political institutions the world did not donate much aid to the earthquake’s affected people and only $1.9 billion was pledged at the much-trumpeted donors’ conference.

Shehzada Gustasip Khan said that those who had no experience or knowledge of democracy and political process had carved out the present local government ordinance and system.

He said the local government system had always been used by successive governments for their own interests.

Mr Khan said that no corruption or vote-selling had been reported in the union council elections, which he said was held on direct elections basis but unfortunately in the final phase massive rigging and corruption were reported.

He said that like general elections the local body polls should be held on party basis and district and tehsil nazims should be elected from within the house.

Anwar Kamal Khan said that undemocratic governments had used the local government system as a political tool for their own interests whereas the present system was imported from abroad and imposed in the country without taking political parties or parliament into confidence.

Mr Khan said that the local government system was a provincial subject but due to its placing in the sixth schedule neither parliament nor the provincial assembly could introduce any amendment.

The session was later adjourned till Tuesday morning.