Civil Administration Ordinance against spirit of democracy & Constitution: Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri

PAT leader Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has said that the Punjab government’s Civil Administration Ordinance 2016 is against the spirit of democracy and Article 140-A of the Constitution. He said that the Constitution empowers the local government institutions financially, politically and administratively but the government snatched the powers of its own elected mayors and chairmen through an Ordinance and handed them over to the Deputy Commissioners. ‘What kind of democracy is it in which the responsibility of holding elected representatives accountable has been given to the government employees,’ he asked.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri expressed these views while talking to presidents of PAT South, Central and North Punjab chapters on the telephone yesterday. He asked the newly elected mayors and chairmen to be worried about getting their constitutional powers instead of celebrating their success through aerial firing. He said that if they did not get these powers, the only job left for them will be to put up welcome banners, receive the visiting ministers and chief ministers and make arrangements for the venue. He said that making the elected chairmen answerable to the Deputy Commissioners is their insult. He said if development work and holding of open courts falls within the jurisdiction of the DCs, what is the work of the elected representatives?

The PAT Chairman said that the people were kept deprived of the LG institutions for 8 long years and now they have been turned into puppets by snatching powers from them. He said that LG institutions enjoy the status of being the linchpin in providing service to the masses the world over and budget up to 40% is spent through these institutions. He said that the Sharifs consider the familial dynasty as democracy and it is for this reason that they took the route of an Ordinance instead of getting the bill passed by Assembly, which is based on ill-will. He said that this step of the government has proven that they are not concerned about the Constitution, law and democracy and they do not want to see any political, democratic and administrative institution playing active role, because their own kingship is threatened in this way.

Dr Qadri said that the revival of the Commissionerate system is the legacy of the imperial English system. He said that the Britons imposed this system to strengthen their hold on the sub-continent which has been restored by the Sharifs yet again, adding that their thought corresponds to that of the Qabza group. He said that LG institutions that are bereft of powers and resources will not be able to serve the masses at the grassroots. He said that their existence without powers amounts to nothing. He said that we want powerful LG institutions in all the four federating units of the country.