Elected public office holders do not have the right to take the law into their hands, which has happened in the past.
KARACHI: No system of government can work efficiently without strict checks and balances. This country definitely needs to have a responsible transparent local government system, but it must be ensured that the corruption and the “state within a state” situation that existed between 2003 and 2007 should never be allowed to raise its head again. Elected office places a burden on those who hold such offices to make themselves accountable to law, and subject themselves and their projects to strict auditing, so as to prevent pilferage.
The law-enforcement departments and district judiciary must be independent of city district governments so as to prevent abuse of power. Elected public office holders do not have the right to take the law into their hands, which has happened in the past.
Rahat Siddiqi
Published in The Express Tribune, April 18th, 2013.
