PML-N warns of protests if local body bill bulldozed

Accused govt of harbouring ‘nefarious’ intentions behind the bill

LAHORE:

 

Rejecting local body’s election through electronic voting machines (EVMs), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Punjab has warned that it will hold protests across the province if the government tried to bulldoze local body’s bill through the provincial assembly.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, PML-N General Secretary Punjab Awais, flanked by other party leaders, alleged that the provincial government was deliberately delaying the legislation process of the local government ordinance, noting that if the delimitation process was accomplished prior to the passage of the bill, the polls would be held under the ordinance, not the later-approved-act.

He added that the government was seeking to delay the legislation beyond the aforesaid point to render the entire exercise, being carried out in the standing committee, for amending this bill, pointless.

The PML-N leader said that in the standing committee they have only done a reading of 82 points of the total 140 paged draft, comprising of 222 articles, in total and claimed that many articles even took members of the treasury benches in the committee by surprise.

“Imagine this draft, which the treasury members know nothing of has been approved by the provincial cabinet,” he mused. He emphasised that they have to be given enough time so that all the 222 points are deliberated upon in full in the committee.

Expressing fear that the ruling party will try to pass the initial draft of the bill, which his party members claim came directly from Prime Minister Imran Khan, Mr Awais warned that his party will announce province-wide protests.

He explained that PML-N has also categorically rejected voting through EVMs.

“When we enquired how many machines, even if the LG elections are held in three phases, would be required, we were told that a staggering 65000 machines would be required even for phase-wise election and more than two hundred thousand people will have to be trained.”

“We want elections in one go, not in phases,” he stressed, recalling that the ECP has placed 37 objections on EVM that were yet to be cleared.

He also objected to giving Gujrat a status of a Metropolitan Corporation (MC) in the ordinance, saying that if one district can be given that status of MC when can’t the other two districts Sheikhupura and Rahimyar Khan with the same size of population be given the status of MC. Instead of handpicking districts, criteria should have been established.

He alleged that this was a blatant example of nepotism, adding the entire system will remain under the thumb of the chief minister, his ministers and bureaucracy. “The CM, his ministers and secretary local government can send elected representatives packing without local government commission hearing and without an appellate tribunal hearing, on frivolous charges.”

‘Ambiguity in the draft’

The PML-N leader went on to allege that the draft was being deliberately kept ambiguous about powers of the LG representatives, as the word ‘may’ was added to articles that speak about the powers of LG reps meaning that government with a stroke of the pen can take away education, health, population welfare and other departments.

“Why to invest a heavy amount in a system, when the intent is not to devolve power?” he asked. He said the ruling party has even proposed have even that expenses incurred on the election should be taken out of LG funds, which was downright idiotic. He said the draft also proposes giving all the reserve seats to the winning side. He said they also rejected absolving municipal committees and town committees. In his view, it amounts to disenfranchising the urban voters. The government side has no inkling of the need for the LG commission.

He said that this government did not want to devolve the power to the grass route level. He said this government was devoid of democratic norms and values. He said Imran Khan wanted to remotely control Punjab from the centre.

‘Talks with treasury benches, allies’

Asked how they will intercept the bill in the assembly, Mr Awais said the party was in contact with members from treasury benches and even allies.

He said that system was in evolutionary stages at that time, but they did eventually devolve the power to the third tier of the government. He also clarified that PMLN will not boycott the elections at any cost.

Meanwhile, MPA Sami Ullah Khan termed this ordinance a black law, wherein the government was “trying to make secretary local government and community development the viceroy of the local government”. He said that the party will take to the streets after exhausting parliamentary options.