ISLAMABAD: It would seem representatives of the cash-strapped Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) are starting to lose interest in the corporation`s affairs as the mayor had to adjourn a session on Monday due to lack of quorum.

The 14th MCI session was scheduled to be held on Monday and which was adjourned by Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz after half an hour.

PML-N representative Sajid Abbasi presented a resolution to extend support for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in response to which a Pakistan Tehreeki-Insaf (PTI) member pointed out the lack of quorum.

The mayor decided to wait for a few minutes before adjourning the session.

According to the agenda, the house was to discuss rules for the revision of property tax, water charges and conservancy charge; approvalfor the auction of a bus stand for the fiscal year 2017-18, revision of various taxes and the appointment of secretary union councils.The mayor was to brief the house regarding rules and regulations submitted to the interior ministry for approval and about decisions made during all MCI sessions.

When asked, PTI opposition leader Ali Awan said it was the ruling party`s responsibility to ensure their members were attending.

`We had 27 members in a house with 70 members and the majority of our members were tired due to the PTI`s rally in Islamabad the day before which is why they did not come. Also, PML-N and PTI members are frustrated as they are not getting anything from the government and in these circumstances, there MCI sessions hold no importance,` he said.

MCI sessions are only used for making speeches and making counter arguments and no practical steps have been taken so far by the federal government to strengthen the local government setup.

`Members have no funding, power and staff in the union councils,` he said.

The local government elections were held in Nov 2015 but so far, the federal government has not released any development funds for this system.