LAHORE: The opposition parties’ representatives have raised objections to the draft law of the Punjab Local Government Act at a meeting of the treasury-opposition local government special committee.

The special committee meeting chaired by law minister Basharat Raja discussed opposition’s objections and suggestions here on Wednesday.

The PTI government has suggested two tiers — neighbourhood council or local council and district council or metropolitan council for urban areas. However, the opposition members including Malik Ahmad Khan, Awais Leghari and Samiullah Chaudhry want at least four tiers — union council or neighbourhood council, municipal committee, as well as tehsil and district councils.

Since the PTI government had said hilly areas should have union councils even with less than 10,000 population, the opposition suggested that the hilly areas should clearly be defined in the law. The opposition members also suggested that desert areas should also be included in the same category of hilly areas as they too had scattered population.

With regard to objections on functions, the opposition members sought some time as the law minister asked them to give their objections on local government functions in writing and suggest alternate proposals.

Law minister Basharat Raja told Dawn that the opposition’s objections and suggestions would be discussed and finalised in detail in the next meeting.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2022