Chaklala, Pindi cantt boards face administrative issues.

Byline: Aamir Yasin

RAWALPINDI -- The cantonment boards of Rawalpindi and Chaklala are facing administrative issues in the absence of an elected body, after the term of the cantonments' elected local government members expired at the end of last year.

The boards cannot launch development projects or resolve civic issues without an elected body.

The Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonment boards has not approved building plans for 200 residential and 40 commercial buildings or any development project since the elected members' term expired on Dec 10.

The next elections will be held after the delimitation of new cantonment wards. Military Lands and Cantonments (MLC) had sought help from the Election Commission to either dissolve the elected board or give an extension to its existing members, but the commission did not respond.

A senior Military Lands and Cantonments official said the cantonment boards asked the commission if elected members could continue working until the next elections.

Confusion over whether elected members' tenures can be extended has led to halt in development projects, building plan approvals

He said that under section 67 of the Cantonment Act, notwithstanding the expiry of an elected member's term, the member shall continue to function until the election or the nomination of a successor is notified.

He said that under the act, the federal government would issue a notification regarding the extension of members' tenures if it feels that work of the civic body would face delay, he added.

In the absence of a clear policy, the civic bodies could not call meetings of their boards as members cannot participate in any such meetings after their tenure is completed.

The official said that the building plans of more than 200 residential...