BA approves appointment of administrators to replace nazimeen

The Baloch Hal News

QUETTA, Jan 9: Balochistan Assembly (BA) on Saturday approved amendments in Local Government Ordinance paving the way for replacing nazimeen of local governments in province with administrators.

The provincial government succumbed to pressure of Jamiat-e-Ulma Islam (JUI-F) and deleted the condition for appointment of government officers only as administrators in place of nazimeen.

It may be mentioned here that earlier provincial cabinet had approved the amendments in Balochistan Local Government Ordinance 2001 few days back.Under the amendments approved by the cabinet only government officers were to be appointed as administrators after termination of tenure of local governments.

But JUI-F an important partner in coalition government of Balochistan changed its mind after pressure of its sitting nazimeen in different districts regarding the condition of appointment of government officers as administrators.

JUI-F opposed the only condition of appointment of Government officers as administrators and demanded that appointment of political personalities as administrators should also be allowed. Therefore, Balochistan Assembly Secretariat had to withdraw the previous draft of amended bill of Balochistan Local Government Ordinance that was distributed to members of assembly and the journalists before the start of session on Saturday.

An important meeting of the parliamentary leaders of parties in provincial government held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Balochistan before the start of session to consider the reservations of JUI-F causing about two hours delay in  the beginning of session of Balochistan Assembly.

Though Chief Minister and many other parliamentary leaders were in favour of appointment of government officers as administrators but they succumbed to inflexible attitude of JUI-F in the meeting and at the eleventh hours a change was made in the bill.

Under the changes on demands of JUI-F political and other persons can also be appointed as administrators in Balochistan.

After removal of reservations of JUI-F the bill was moved in the second session of assembly at 3:00 pm.

After Provincial Minister for Local Bodies Abdul Khaliq Bashar Dost tabled the bill in the House.

Stating the of objects of amendments in the bill, provincial minister said that in order to ensure transparency and impartiality in the forthcoming local government elections, it was imperative to empower the Provincial Government to dissolve the existing Local Councils and appoint administrators to run the affairs of local governments till holding of elections.

He said that Balochistan Local Government Ordinance 2001, in its existing form, did not provide for a conducive atmosphere for holding of impartial election.

The house approved the bill within seven minutes without holding a debate on it.

Under the amendments, all nazimeen at district, town and tehsil levels would be replaced with administrators after issuance of notification by the provincial government regarding formal dissolution of local governments in Balochistan.

Elections of local bodies will be held in the province within one year period under the amended bill.