LB polls to be on non-party basis: National Assembly passes three bills including 'Islamabad Local Government Bill 2014'

The National Assembly on Thursday passed three bills regarding local bodies elections on non-party basis in Islamabad, provision of benevolent fund and group insurance for life time by removing 70-year age limit of federal employees as well as changing the composition of Board of Trustees.
The government rejected the amendment proposed by the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) for holding local government elections in Islamabad on party basis to "The Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Bill 2014."
Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah said that local government elections should be held on party basis. He said that it was mentioned in Charter of Democracy (CoD) singed by PML-N that local government polls would be held on party basis. He said that local bodies' elections on non-party basis were held during the tenures of dictators.
The three bills passed by the National Assembly are; "The Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government, Bill, 2014", "The Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2014" for providing fund for life time by removal of the age limit of 70-year and "The Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (Second Amendment) Bill, 2013" to change the composition of Board of Trustees.
The bills are moved by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmad for passage. The opposition members especially of Pakistan people's Party (PPP) opposed clause-13 of The Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government, Bill, 2014" relating to hold local bodies' elections on non-party basis and presented amendment for holding local bodies' elections on party basis. The PPP presented as many as nine amendments to various clauses of the Bill while the government accepted eight amendments and rejected one amendment relating to local election on party basis.
The PML-N, however, agreed to add amendments proposed by the PPP in the bill. These amendments chiefly relate to collection of property tax, defined - in terms of percentage - representation of women, peasant, minorities and technocrats in local government, clear power and revenue sharing arrangements between local government and the CDA, etc.
The clause 25 (k) of the Bill, pertains to "disqualification of candidates and elected members" states that "(a candidate will be disqualified) if he/she used for his election a platform, flag, symbol, affiliation and financial or material resources or support of a political, religious, ethnic or sectarian party or organisation."
According to the Bill, the local government of the Capital of the country will consist of Union Councils and Metropolitan Corporation.
A Union Council shall consist of (i) Chairman and Vice Chairman, as joint candidates; (ii) six general members (iii) two women (iv) one peasant or worker (v) one youth member and (vi) one non-Muslim where there are at least two hundred non-Muslim voters registered in the Union Council.
The Metropolitan Corporation shall consist of (i) Mayor and Deputy Mayor, as joint candidates (ii) Chairman of all Union Councils (iii) women (iv) peasants / workers (v) technocrats (vi) youth members and (vii) non-Muslims.
The members of each Union Council shall be directly elected by the voters registered in the concerned Union Council. The members of Metropolitan Corporation shall be elected by the members of the Union Councils present for voting.
The local government shall collect taxes including levy, fee, rent, toll, charges etc. The federal government may issue directions to the local government and the local government shall be bound by such direction.
According to the objects and reasons of "The Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2014," the matter of restricting age at 70 years was discussed in the meeting of the Board of Trustees held under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Establishment Division on 16-3-2012 and it was decided to effect an amendment in Section 13(3) of the Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (FEBF & GI) Act, 1969 for the removal of the age limit of 70-year.
According to objects and reason of "The Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (Second Amendment) Bill, 2013," the Board approved to move a revised Bill to amend the composition of Board of Trustees by replacing the member from Labor and Manpower Division with a member from Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Division.