LAHORE: Up to 2,192 newly-elected councilors, vice chairmen and chairmen of Lahore’s 274 union councils (UCs) took an oath of their office on Thursday at public offices in the metropolis.

Organised by the Election Commission of Pakistan, the oath ceremonies were presided over by 34 returning officers (ROs) of the city district. The ROs, according to officials, congratulated the local public representatives and said they hoped that they would serve the public.

A major ceremony was held at Town Hall where eight ROs administered the oath.

Mian Abdul Waheed, personal staff officer to the administrator, told Dawn the ROs administered the oath at Nadir Hall (DCO office), district and cantonment courts and offices of tehsil municipal administrations and UCs. He said that in another round, ROs would administer the oath to councilors elected on reserved seats for labour, youth, woman and minority (five in each UC). After that, UC chairmen will elect the lord mayor.

Khawaja Ahmad Hassan, who was elected UC-107 chairman unopposed and is candidate for the lord mayor office, told Dawn he held the maiden session of the UC 107 in Sabzazar and urged the members to reach people.

About his plans after elections of the lord mayor, he said the completion of on-going development projects and improvement of health and education sectors would be on his top priorities. “I know the problems of Lahore well as I have been serving the city for a long time,” he said.

Hassan said two weeks ago, he had visited Istanbul to study Turkish civic issues. “I met the Istanbul mayor who gave me a detailed presentation on the municipality.”

He said Istanbul municipality was already helping in Lahore’s sewerage and drainage systems, and he would replicate the Istanbul model in Lahore. He said he would introduce modern primary healthcare and provision system and education for all in Lahore.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2016