Terming the commissionerate system and Police Act, 1861 as colonial laws, speakers at a massive public rally on Thursday rejected the revival of these laws in the province and demanded fresh local government elections to be held under the Local Government Ordinance (LGO) 2001.
The rally was held under the banner of Jeevay Pakistan Jeevay Maqami-Hakoomat (JPJM) and a large number of people turned up at the event. The rally started from Hyderabad Toll Plaza and culminated at the Mirpurkhas Press Club. The JPJM leadership was given a warm welcome while passing through Tando Allahyar.
Reaffirming their pledge to continue protesting until the provincial government withdraws its decision, the speakers said that replacing the LGO 2001 with that of 1979 shows that the government is not serious in devolving power at grassroots level, due to which poverty and unemployment are increasing day by day and the poor are unable to even buy one-time meal for their children.
The public rally was being led by former National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) chairman and JPJM chief Daniyal Aziz. Leaders of Local Council Association (LCA)-Sindh, former Nazims and councillors, Citizen Community Boards (CCBs) members and representatives of media and bar associations also participated in the rally.
Speaking on the occasion, Aziz said by participating in this rally in this scorching weather, the people of Sindh have shown that they reject the local bodies system made by the killers of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1979. “Democracy is flourishing all over the world and a revolution, like that in Egypt, Syria, Libya, Jordan and Bahrain, is heading towards Pakistan, which would change the life of common man.”
The rulers want to usurp the provincial funds earmarked in the National Finance Commission Award under the 18th Constitutional Amendment for the development of local communities. The advisers and subordinates of President Asif Ali Zardari are violating laws and the constitution. Billions of rupees of developmental funds earmarked for local governments in the provincial budgets would be misused, opening a new era of loot and plunder by some vested interests in politics and bureaucracy.
Aziz demanded of the government to stop undemocratic tactics by denying the fundamental political rights of people and fully implement the 18th amendment in letter and spirit. He also blamed the bureaucracy and rulers for the rising inflation, price hike and unemployment. “By reviving the LGO 1979 and Police Act 1861, the provincial authorities want to take over the political, administrative, financial and democratic rights of local government representatives ensured in Article 140A of the constitution,” Aziz said.
He regretted that at least 19 writ petitions have been pending in superior courts regarding the local government system for the past 18 months but the judiciary is yet to give a decision on any one of them. Terming the revival of commissionerate system an unlawful act and contrary to the 18th amendment unanimously passed by the parliament, Aziz said that by restoring the system, the government has restarted the war between the executive and the judiciary.
The revival of the office of district magistrate is also contrary to the idea of separation of judiciary from executive as ensured in 1973 Constitution. “With the enforcement of commissionerate system, authority and resources of union councils have been taken back and the money earmarked for the common people at union, tehsil (taluka) and district level has been snatched by the provincial government.”
The former NRB chairman further said most of the institutions and departments established at district level to provided services to common people have been closed or handed over to the provinces, while the independence of judiciary has been challenged after reviving Police Act 1861. Accusing the Sindh government of hatching a conspiracy to usurp developmental funds, he added that a plan has been made to embezzle the money specified for the development of rural areas.
He pointed out that besides providing funds to local governments under the Provincial Finance Commission, the existence of the commission itself has also been ceased. Former Sukkur Nazim and LCA-Sindh Convener Nasir Shah, LCA-Punjab President Asghar Shah Gilani, LCA-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Secretary General Israrullah Khan and others also addressed the participants at the rally. Former Haripur Nazim and LCA-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Yousaf Ayub, former Quetta Nazim and LCA-Balochistan President Mir Maqbool Lehri and former Muzaffargarh Nazim Malik Allah Yar were also present on the occasion.
