BAHAWALPUR: The district will have 755 village panchayats and 106 neighbourhood councils in the upcoming local government set-up here.

Dawn learnt that at present, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is engaged in finalisation of the delimitations and the preliminary lists are expected to be out by Oct 4 across the province to pave way for the election of the panchayats and neighbourhood councils.

Objections would be invited and final delimitations are expected to be announced by the ECP by the end of next month.

The LG department assistant director said the break-up of village panchayats in the district will be as follows: Bahawalpur Saddar tehsils 110, Ahmedpur East 170, Yazman 273, Hasilpur 102 and Khairpur Tamewali 100.

Assistant Director Khursheed Ahmed told Dawn that the Metropolitan Corporation, Bahawalpur would have 35 neighbourhood councils while municipal committees of Ahmedpur East and Hasilpur would have 12 neighbourhood councils each, Yazman and Khairpur Tamewali municipal committee would have six and Uch Sharif 10 councils.

The AD said the five town committees of Khairpur Sharif, Sammsatta, Tibba Miani, Mubarikpur, Channigoth and Qaimpur would have five neighbouhood councils in accordance with their population. Each of the NC and VP will have general members including chairperson, a minority member and women members in accordance with their population strength.

The AD said the metropolitan corporation, Bahawalpur would have 42 members while seven MCs of Yazman, Khairpur Tamewali, town committees of Sammsatta, Khanqah Sharif, Mubarikpur, Channigoth and Qaimpur will have membership of 14 each.

In addition, municipal committees of Ahmedpur East and Hasilpur will have total membership of 28 members and Uch Sharif will have 21 members.

The tehsil councils of Bahawalpur and Saddar, Hasilpur and Khairpur Tamewali will have total 35 members each while Ahmedpur East and Yazman will have 42 elected members each.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2020