Report on Local Government Bill presented in Punjab Assembly

LAHORE: A report has been presented in the Punjab Assembly regarding Local Government Bill which was approved by the PA’s Standing Committee on Local Government yesterday, ARY News reported on Friday.

The presentation of the report triggered ruckus in the provincial assembly as opposition walked out of the House after raising anti-government slogans.

Punjab law minister Basharat Raja outraged over derogatory remarks of a woman lawmaker Uzma Bukhari.

Raja said that consensus between Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz and the government was difficult to be made as PML-N wants to follow its own direction.

The minister further said that the government has tried to take opposition along with it.

However, the opposition benches continued shouting in the House and raised anti-government slogans. Later, they walked out of the provincial assembly.

Deputy Speaker suspended the membership of Pir Ashraf Rasool for indulging in unparliamentary behaviour during the presentation of the bill.

It is noteworthy to mention here that the Punjab cabinet had approved the Local Government Act-2019 and Water Act-2019 on April 19.

The decisions were taken during a provincial cabinet meeting with Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office in Lahore. Presiding over the meeting, CM Buzdar had said that the government was committed to empowering the local bodies of the province.

According to a statement issued from his office, under the Water Act-2019, a water resources commission would be established.

Punjab Witness Protection Act 2018 was also approved and a witness protection board would be constituted under this act, the statement said and added that meeting approved the release of Rs10 billion for the government guarantee and debt authority in favour of Punjab Thermal Power Pvt. Ltd.

Meanwhile, special audit reports 2016-17 of Auditor General of Pakistan about the Punjab government accounts were also presented before the cabinet, the statement said and added that after the approval of the cabinet, these reports would be presented before the Punjab Assembly.