ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Wednesday passed The Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Bill 2015, in order to rationalise and reorganise the local government (LG) system in the federal capital.

The bill was moved by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and it envisages holding LG polls in Islamabad on party-basis.

The bill states that after practising the local government system — which was introduced through the Federal Capital Local Government Ordinance 1979 and lasted till 1996 — there is a strong realisation that urban and rural areas have been receiving disproportionate financial resources which disregard local needs of particular areas.

It further said that this inequitable allocation of resources led to inefficiencies in effective delivery of services sought to be provided under the local governments and the Constitution of Pakistan.

Editorial: Islamabad LG polls

“Furthermore, in this age of specialisation, it is strongly felt that the delivery of municipal services both in urban and rural areas require targeted focus involving specialised expertise, skills and professionalism so as to identify the local needs of people with sharp precision and meet them in full adherence to the corresponding inviolable rights of the people guaranteed under the Constitution,” the bill added.

The bill further states that a new local government system is proposed so that an accountable local government is formed by empowering it to shoulder the political, administrative and financial responsibility at a local level through elected representatives in order to alleviate the grievances of the general public.

Also read: SC allows ECP to delay LG polls in Islamabad

Earlier this month, the apex court allowed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to delay LG polls in Islamabad given the uncertainty surrounding the fate of the bill pending before the Senate.

The Supreme Court had reluctantly allowed the ECP to notify a new schedule for the polls if it becomes necessary due to a delay in the passage of the bill.