Musharraf okays local polls on non-party basis

By Mohammad Kamran

ISLAMABAD: President Musharraf on Tuesday approved various proposals to improve the local government setup including the conduct of non-party based local elections in 2005 and the short-sizing of union councils across the country with an enhanced role for the members of assemblies at district level.

These proposals were floated by the four provinces and other stakeholders of the local government system in a high level meeting chaired by the president at Aiwan-e-Sadr.

Sources said provinces had also called for an amendment under which the transfer of the district coordination officer would be made with the approval of the chief minister however, the NRB opposed the proposal and said this power should rest with the district nazim.

The meeting also agreed to hold the election of district and tehsil nazims and naib nazims through indirect vote. It was decided that the MPs would head the meeting of the Provincial Local Government Commission. Sources said the president gave approval to local elections in Islamabad Capital Territory and cantonments.

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