- As NA passes Islamabad Capital Territory Local Govt Bill, Khursheed Shah criticises govt for holding LG elections on non-party basis in Punjab and Islamabad
Amidst criticism from Pakistan People’s Party, National Assembly Thursday passed “The Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Bill, 2014” with consensus.
The election would be held on non-party basis while during the election process, all sorts of party’s religious affiliations and show of party flags and symbols will be restricted. The candidates will be disqualified in case of violating the code. The property tax collection will be done by metropolitan corporation and union council instead of Capital Development Authority (CDA).
The bill moved by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmad provides for rationalizing and reorganizing the local government system in the federal capital.
The House rejected and incorporated some of the amendments by PPP in the bill.
NA opposition leader Syed Khursheed Shah called for holding local government elections on party basis and strongly criticised the government for holding non-party elections in Punjab and federal capital. He termed it as a violation of Charter of Democracy. He asked the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to stop supporting the acts of dictators and pointed out that non-party elections were organised by a dictator.
He said the PPP was holding LB elections in Sindh on party basis. He was of the opinion that holding of LB elections on party basis would strengthen democratic system and rights would not be usurped. He feared that non-party elections would lead to horse trading.
Instead of agreeing some other amendments moved by the Opposition, the government opposed the amendment related to party basis election as MNAs from the opposition pleaded their case forcefully.
Shah also joined the course to counter the arguments of Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed who had stated that local governments are nurseries and there should be no political divide at this level.
However, Shah argued that political parties provide a backbone for democracy and party basis elections will nurture political workers to come up to the mainstream politics in days ahead.
“In democracy political parties matter and it has also been written in Charter of Democracy (CoD) that all elections will be held on party basis. It is CoD that has ensured supremacy of constitution and strong democracy in the country,” he said.
The opposition leader said if local government elections are to be held on non-party basis then why to hold party based elections at provincial and national level. “Let us do away with the memories of dictatorial regimes. If we call ourselves democratic people, why can LB elections not be held on party basis?”
Shah questioned that if the government was ready to bring 22nd Amendment to ensure transparency in FATA Senate elections then why it is shying to hold LG polls on party basis. “Non-party elections will promote corruption among the representatives at the lowest level.”
Minister of State Aftab Sheikh in response pleaded, “In most of cases, the parties will impose their decisions and it will harm the spirit of bring forward true workers representing the people in respective areas. Nominations at party levels will also usurp the right of independent candidate who in some cases may prove to be real representative of local people.”
He also rejected the argument that non-party elections will promote corruption. “It is the matter of giving people a right to elect their true representatives above the party affiliations. There is no reason for corruption in it.”
Some other PPPP members have also been raising their voice but the voice of majority prevailed and the house rejected this amendment with a majority vote.
Moreover, the PPP and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) members walked out of the House before the third reading of the bill. The PPP walked out to protest against baton-charge on farmers while the MQM staged the walkout over use of inappropriate language by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan against MQM chief Altaf Hussain at his public meeting in Mirpur, Azad Kashmir.