LAHORE, July 20: Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Mahmoodur Rasheed has rejected the new local body system being introduced by the provincial government, terming it a ‘replica’ of Ziaul Haq’s 1979 setup.

At a news conference at the assembly’s Opposition Chamber on Saturday, he said the opposition would protest against the proposed local body system and attend the house proceedings wearing black armbands.

He said the proposed system would deprive local body representatives of financial and administrative powers, calling it “negation of democracy”.

The opposition leader said election of ‘District Mayor’ and ‘Tehsil Chairman’ on non-party basis, as prescribed in the new system, would trigger horse-trading that was against the spirit of democracy.

Stating the new system would give powers to maintain law and order to the district coordination officers (DCOs) and district police officers (DPOs), he alleged the move showed the government was heavily depending on bureaucracy.

He said the new setup was also against the Charter of Democracy signed by the PML-N and the PPP that sought party-based local body polls. He pointed out the government was also failing to hold local body polls within first 90 days of its rule.

Saying the government was trying to introduce separate local body systems for urban and rural areas, which he feared. would create a divide in the province.

Urging the judiciary to take notice of the move and stop rulers from taking ‘unconstitutional steps’, he said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf would also approach courts in this regard.

Criticising the authorities for slowly flushing out rainwater from low-lying areas, he stressed the need for taking practical steps to improve drainage system in Lahore and other parts of the province.

PTI MPA Saadia Suhail, Shanila Roth, Sheikh Imtiaz Mahmood and Rana Akhtar Husain were also present on the occasion.