LAHORE, Aug 22: The opposition on Thursday boycotted the session and staged a sit-in outside the Punjab Assembly against the passage of the Punjab Local Government Bill 2013.

Speaking on a point of order, opposition leader Mahmoodur Rashid questioned the “unnecessary haste” of the treasury to pass the bill. He said the treasury got the bill approved in a “dubious manner”.

He said the local government law was a negation of Constitution’s Article 140-A, and would encourage horse-trading and nepotism. Instead of empowering people at the grass-roots level the law would strengthen the Punjab government.

Mr Rashid rejected the plan to hold local body elections on a non-party basis, saying it was against the spirit of devolution of power and an attempt to take things back to the Zia era. He said the power would rest with the bureaucracy in the local government system and elected representatives would have no practical role in it.

The opposition leader asked the speaker as to why he allowed the PML-N treasury members to pass the bill amid opposition’s boycott. Speaker Rana Iqbal said the opposition should have returned to the house instead of proceeding to the All Parties Conference (on the local government bill).

PML-Q’s Amer Sultan Cheema said the “hurriedly passed bill” was against the spirit of devolution of power. He said the treasury ignored opposition’s amendments to the bill and made a solo flight.

The opposition boycotted the session and staged a demonstration outside the assembly. Wearing black armbands and holding placards, opposition members from the PTI, PML-Q and PPP raised slogans against the passage of the bill and announced that they would move the court against local body polls on a non-party basis and powerlessness of elected members.

The house offered fateha for Captain Sarfaraz who was killed by Indian forces on the Line of Control.

In the absence of the opposition, treasury member Azma Bokhari asked the chair to take action against the organisations raising funds in the name of flood relief.

Replying to a question on the floor of the house, Social Welfare Minister Ata Maneka said registration of the non-functional NGOs would be cancelled.

Talking to reporters outside the assembly, Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said the Punjab government was ready to hold local body elections any time. “It is up to the election commission to announce its schedule.” Contrary to the views of the opposition, Khan said the local government law “would help people solve their problems at the local level.”