MULTAN, Nov 5: The Lahore High Court has sought a written explanation from the provincial local government secretary and the Muzaffargarh district coordination officer for not paying honorarium to lady councillors.

Justice Anwarul Haq of the LHC's Multan bench passed the orders on a writ petition filed by a lady councillor, Huma Nawab, of the Muzaffargarh tehsil council. The petitioner stated that the authorities concerned were reluctant to pay honorarium to the lady councillors despite the fact that there were provisions in the Local Government Ordinance to compensate them against their services.

The provincial local governments secretary, the Muzaffargarh DCO, the district Nazim and the tehsil Nazim were made respondents in the petition. The petitioner stated that under sections 39(Q) and 113 of the LGO, all tiers of the local governments were bound to make budgetary allocations for the payment of allowances and honorarium to the Nazims and the councillors through the local fund.

He stated the Muzaffargarh district council passed a resolution for the payment of allowances and honorarium to the councillors, but the respondents did not take necessary action to do something in this regard.

Her counsel informed the court that the local bodies in all provinces except the Punjab were paying allowances and honorarium to the councillors. He pleaded that the councillors especially the ladies were being subjected to a discriminatory treatment as the Nazims at all local government tiers were getting allowances and honorarium.

The court directed the respondents to submit their replies within 30 days to explain why the councillors were not being paid.