The Pakistan Awami Tehreek has warned that if the local bodies are defied of powers as written in the Constitution, the party will not hesitate in taking to the streets. The warning came from party Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri who said on Monday, "The local bodies are on a hit-list of the government which wants powerless local bodies and it does not believe in devolution of power and it is bent on using the 'Amendment-Terrorism' formula once again."
His comments came on Monday when he met representatives of the Local Bodies Committee formed earlier to oversee and monitor the upcoming elections. The committee apart from overseeing the polls has the responsibility of formulating the polls manifesto for the party.
Dr Qadri talking to party leaders said, "Former nazims, naib nazims, councillors and the democracy-loving educated youth will have to play their role in forming a real authoritative local bodies since the part and the people of the province do not want a 'mummy and dummy' local bodies system and representatives likewise. The rulers are planning to bring about a toothless LB [Local Bodies] system and representatives."
His speech mainly targeted the current government, claiming that in the past seven years "the rulers have ruined the local bodies and used the funds according to their own wishes and desires". He went on, "People have been left open and at their mercy, their rights have been trampled under the feet of the rulers. The rulers have looted the funds allocated for the local bodies with both hands and ruthlessly. To top all this, there is no accountability or audit of the funds gulped by the rulers. If ever an audit of the LB funds is conducted, the largest official corruption scandal will come before the people and that is what these rulers do not want."
Comments
Comments are closed.