PAT CEC meets to discuss upcoming LG polls

A meeting of the PAT Central Executive Council (CEC) was held at the central secretariat in which matters related to the local bodies elections came under discussion. The local PAT chapters and office-holders were given instructions regarding appropriate candidates. The meeting also decided to launch a coordinated mass contact campaign ahead of LG polls. At the same time, the participants agreed to complete the organizational infrastructure throughout the country.

The CEC strongly condemned the arrest of Naseer Jadoon, president of PAT Hazara zone and the humiliating treatment of police. The conduct of police was termed as the negation of democratic norms and values and freedom of expression. The meeting demanded investigation into the matter.

Addressing the meeting, PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said that the attitude of the KP police towards a senior PAT leader is deserving of condemnation and accountability. He asked the government to show tolerance. He said that Naseer Khan Jadoon did not do anything that deserved this kind of police highhandedness.

Those who attended the meeting included Raja Zahid Mahmood, Mian Rehan Maqbool, Noor Ahmad Sahoo, Qazi Shafique, Noorullah Siddiqui, Arif Chaudhry, Naeem-ud-Din Chaudhry Advocate, Ayesha Mubashir, Umme Habib Ismail, Dr Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry and others. Central PAT President Qazi Zahid Hussain and Ibrar Raza Advocate joined the meeting online.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur further stated that PAT considers the proportional representation and the strong local government institutions the guarantee of the resolution of public issues. He said that the stronger the local government institutions are, the more effective they will be in resoling the problems facing the masses and delivering quality services to them at the grass-roots. He said that the government has delayed the local government polls, adding that PAT expects that no further delay will be allowed now and the institutions meant for public service will be manned by the chosen representatives of the people.