Legislative committee reviews amendments to local government, stamp bills

PESHAWAR, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Jul, 2026) A meeting of Legislative Committee chaired by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Law, Human Rights and Parliamentary Affairs Aftab Alam here Tuesday reviewed proposed amendments to various legal drafts, including KP Local Government Amendment Bill and KP Stamp Amendment Bill.

The meeting was attended by Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Senior Member board of Revenue, Secretary Law Department, Secretary Local Government and Rural Development Department, officials of revenue, law departments.

The meeting was informed that following the bifurcation of existing territories and alterations in administrative boundaries, it had become imperative to incorporate the newly created districts into the local government framework.

The proposed amendment to KP Local Government Act, 2013 seeks to amend the Ninth schedule to structurally accommodate the altered boundaries of the parent districts. The amendment will facilitate the delimitation of the revised boundaries without increasing the aggregate ceiling of councils.

The proposed legislation also seeks to make necessary administrative adjustments in the number of Village Councils and Neighbourhood Councils in Hangu and Karak districts thereby aligning the local government system with the existing administrative boundaries and ground realities.

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The committee also reviewed the proposed amendments to KP Stamp Amendment Bill. The meeting was informed that Stamp Act, 1899 does not provide a separate legal framework for the assignment of rights, title or interest in immovable property resulting in the non-uniform regulation of such transactions under the existing stamp-duty regime.

Under the proposed amendment, a new Article 11-AA would be inserted in Schedule-I to introduce an “Assignable Deed” as a distinct class of instrument and prescribe the applicable stamp duty. The proposed amendment aims to provide legal certainty in transactions involving the assignment of rights, title or interest in immovable property, promote the formal documentation of such transactions and strengthen compliance with stamp laws.

The committee reviewed various aspects of the proposed amendments to both legal drafts and received briefings from the relevant departments.

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