PAT leader Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has said that if there is a need to launch a movement for establishment of powerful local government institutions in accordance with the Constitution, the PAT would not hesitate to initiate it. He said that the LG institutions face the prospect of ‘amendment terrorism’ of the government, adding that the toothless LG institutions are not equipped to serve the masses in the real sense.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri expressed these views while talking to senior PAT leaders at his residence yesterday.

The PAT chairman has constituted a high-powered committee, which has been mandated to prepare the party’s manifesto in addition to supervising matters related to LG polls. He said that former Nazims, deputy Nazims, councilors and educated youth will have to play their national and democratic role in wresting the powers and resources of LG institutions from the clutches of the rulers who prefer centralization of power. He said that the rulers are planning to establish ‘dummy’ LG institutions, institutions whose powers are limited to rolling out red carpet welcome for the ministers on their visits to the districts.

Dr Qadri said that the present rulers have established family dynasty in the country in the name of democracy. He said that after rendering the assemblies ineffective and dysfunctional, they have now planned to include the LG institutions in the frontiers of their kingdom but added in the same breath that all of their planning will fail as people are politically aware enough that they would not allow the rulers to invade the local government institutions this time round. He said that these institutions are being looted for seven years. He said that no account of how many funds were received and how they were spent has been maintained nor has any audit of local funds been carried out to ascertain the legality or otherwise of their spending.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that if audit of funds of LG institutions is conducted, Asia’s biggest ever corruption will come to surface. He asked the Auditor General of Pakistan to release the audit report of funds, which were given to the local governments for last seven years, adding that it will expose the scale and extent of corruption in these institutions.

Dr Qadri said that the PAT along with union council level educated and honest leadership will hold the rulers accountable over the merciless plunder of LG institutions and address the public grievances. He further said that there was a power breakdown and load-shedding in over 70% of villages and rural areas during the Eid days. He said that the rulers made false promises of zero load-shedding during Sehr and iftar in the holy month of Ramazan as well. He said that no one is conspiring against the rulers, adding that they are the biggest conspirator themselves. He said that the people are greatly annoyed over the poor performance and incompetence of the government and the rulers should stay ready for consequences of their wrath.