LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman has said that the Punjab government is working on new local government legislation to enhance administrative efficiency at the grassroots level and is prepared to hold the local body elections by the end of next year.

He expressed these views at an oath-taking ceremony on Thursday for the newly-elected union officials of the staff union for all zones of the Municipal Corporation Lahore.

The Minister said that a committee, formed by the Punjab Chief Minister and led by the Punjab Local Government Minister, was finalising the new law. He added that the process for local body elections and the delimitation of new constituencies was currently underway. “Nine new tehsils have been created in Lahore under the local government system,” he added.

He averred that bureaucrats could not open their doors to the public in the same way that elected representatives can, adding that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has a long-standing tradition of holding local body elections whenever it assumes office.

While congratulating the new office-bearers, he said that they were committed to resolving the issues faced by Municipal Corporation employees, and their legitimate demands would not only be heard but also acted upon. He commended the union’s role, saying the formation of unions was essential for addressing employee concerns, and he was confident that the Tikka Khan Group would succeed in resolving the issues faced by the Municipal Corporation employees.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024