The Punjab government is about to revive the old colonial system of deputy commissionership, in which the DC will have the power to decide criminal cases along with being the administrative head of the district. The principle of separation of executive and judiciary that had been enforced through long struggle of the people’s representatives and protagonists of constitutionalism is being annihilated for the benefit of some elements of top bureaucracy and some self-centered political leaders. It was during the rule of these deputy commissioners that all martial laws were imposed because they made them easier to happen. The people had uttered a sigh of relief when the rank of district magistrate was abolished some years ago, because it is the first instrument of establishing autocracy in the country. The Britishers had ruled over the subcontinent for over two hundred years through this system whereby the power of arrest, punishment, and passing of judgment rested in the same officer of the government. This is return of people’s bondage in the hands of a few bureaucrats and it is something totally against the spirit of democracy. The government is requested to desist from taking this retrogressive step and give up this idea of amalgamating judiciary and executive once again.
Kalimullah
Muzaffargarh
