ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday passed ‘The Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2022’ aimed at increasing the number of existing Union Councils in Islamabad and direct election of mayor.

Under the amendments, there will be 125 Union Councils within the Islamabad Capital Territory to cater for the existing population of the federal capital. The mayor and deputy mayor shall be directly elected as joint candidates by the voters.

Responding to a Calling Attention Notice moved by Aliya Kamran and others, Parliamentary Secretary for Federal Education and Professional Training Zeb Jaffer assured the House that laptops will also be provided to students of Madaris and erstwhile FATA as admissible to students of universities.

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The House also passed ‘The Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2022.’

The House has been prorogued.

On December 13, the National Assembly (NA) had unanimously approved the passage of the Petroleum (Amendment) Bill, 2022 to stop illegal sale of petroleum products.

Moved by Parliamentary Secretary for Petroleum, Chaudhry Hamid Hameed, the house had passed after taking clause by clause. With an amendment, the illegal imports, transports, stores, sales produce, refine or blends any petroleum had been made punishable besides extending fine up to Rs5 million.

According to statement of objects and reasons, the amendment had substituted the word “Federal Government” with appropriate authority as per the cabinet direction in light of the definition of “Federal Government by Supreme Court decision vide PLD, 2016.”

Revised the fee structure as per the directions of Lahore High Court dated 07 -07 -2017.