PM Imran directs ministers to finalise draft of new local bodies system in 48 hours

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday directed the relevant ministers to finalise the draft of new local bodies system within next 48 hours. 

The premier while addessing Punjab cabinet session said that the minister should work on all seven days of the week, adding that the district zakat commitees should be functional and the Zakat distribution should have maximum transparency. 

PM Imran said that a complaint office should be set up at the CM office and issues must be resolved with innovative solutions. 

The premier told the ministers to tell masses how the previous governments lavishly spent financial resources for their benefits, adding that a JIT should be established on the fire incidents. 

PM said that the real change will happen by devolution of power to the masses. 

New local bodies system

According to the draft — which proposes to introduce changes in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the centre in the first phase of implementation — deputy mayors will be in charge of tehsils while the administrative charge of a district will be held by the mayor.

Further, the federal government has proposed that the deputy mayors should be elected through polls.

Under the new local government structure, the mayor will be in charge of the police and administration. They will have the authority to write performance reports of police and administrative heads. Monetary affairs pertaining to the district also fall under the mayor's domain.

The federal government has also proposed that district governments are given charge of the police force, departments of health, education, and lower judiciary.

The draft suggests that the district governments enjoy complete autonomy from provincial chief ministers and ministers. It has also been proposed that the district governments are provided with complete financial independence.

According to information received from sources, a high-level consultative session, to be chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, is scheduled to be held in Lahore later today.

The new local government structure is expected to be approved after the consultative meeting.

A suggestion to maintain the nazim and naib-nazim system has been made by the government's allies, sources informed Geo News.

Consultations are yet to be held to introduce new local government systems in Sindh and Balochistan.

The government has two options to implement the proposed system. It can either get it approved by the National and provincial assemblies or use the presidential ordinance.