ISLAMABAD : National Assembly on Tuesday accorded approval to move a bill for more powers to local government in Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation also ensuring equitable distribution of resources.

Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi referred the bill moved by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf MNA Asad Umar to standing committee concerned after the government did not oppose it.

Informing the House about salient features of the bill, Asad Umar said, the local government system in Islamabad Metropolitan should perform freely as he objected constitution of Local Government Board and Local Government Commission. "These two bodies may hamper free functioning of the local government in the capital. Therefore, we need to dismantle these entities and ensure more powers for the local government."

The member also pleaded to transfer certain authority to Union Councils and ensure increase in resources for Metropolitan Corporation and the Union Councils and the resources available presently must be judiciously distributed among the Union Councils.

He appreciated the decision of the Punjab government to give more powers to Vice Chairmen Union Councils and said, the same action was also required in Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation to give more powers to Vice Chairmen.

Asad Umar also proposed in the bill that residents of Islamabad Capital Territory must be given their due share in jobs from BPS-1 to BPS-4.

As Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Aftab Sheikh had not opposed the bill, the Deputy Chairman referred it to standing committee concerned.

Meanwhile, when another PTI member Dr Shireen Mazari raised the question of CDA's authority after passage of this bill, the Deputy Speaker advised to better discuss the issue at the standing committee.-APP