PESHAWAR: The leaders of various opposition parties here on Tuesday welcomed Peshawar High Court’s decision that the local government elections would be held on party basis and expressed the hope that the court’s verdict would help to strengthen democracy.

Addressing a news conference at Peshawar Press Club, Jamaat-i-Islami provincial chief Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said that the court’s decision would bring an end to the trend of horse-trading.

He said that his party would take active part in the local government elections. He said that the decision was against the expectations of the ruling party. He also appreciated Election Commission of Pakistan for making preparations for conducting the local government polls.

Political leaders say verdict will help to strengthen democracy in country

The JI lawmaker said that the ruling PTI was not in favour of local government elections and that’s why its government delayed the polls for two years against the will of majority of the people. He said that in the prevailing situation, the government would be unable to change loyalties of the elected representatives through funds and pressure.

Similarly, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz provincial president Amir Muqam also welcomed the court’s decision about the local government elections.

He said that local government elections on party basis would provide an opportunity to the political parties to train their activists. “We fully support the decision of Peshawar High Court,” he added.

Meanwhile, Local Council Association provincial president Advocate Israrullah said that the verdict was delivered on a petition of the association that would help political parties to work at grassroots level.

“The elected representatives should have full financial powers instead of depending on the district administration,” he said in a statement. He added that the association was pondering over a proposal to move Supreme Court for further empowerment of the elected bodies.

He welcomed the decision of Peshawar High Court regarding holding of local government elections on party basis. “Peshawar High Court did not accept our plea of restoring district councils and post of district nazim which the Local Council Association will most likely challenge in Supreme Court of Pakistan as we are of the opinion that abolition of district councils and post of district nazim is against the spirit of the Article 140-A of Constitution,” he added.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl leader and former nazim of Peshawar district Haji Ghulam Ali and JUI-F provincial spokesman Haji Abdul Jalil Jan told Dawn that the decision was taken on request of political parties in order to foil a possible attempt of horse-trading by the government.

Jalil Jan said that such decisions needed to be taken in parliament but the PTI government was not allowing opposition to discuss issues of national interests.

Pakistan Peoples Party provincial president Najamud Din in a statement said that his party’s popularity graph was going up as it had the capacity to win the elections. “We always supported the party basis elections and offered matchless sacrifices for strengthening of democracy in the country,” he claimed.

Our correspondent from Haripur adds: Former deputy speaker of National Assembly and PML-N provincial general secretary Murtaza Javed Abbasi said the ruling of PHC thwarted PTI’s plan to escape from party basis local government elections.

Addressing a rally of his party, he said that the recent price hike, heavy burden of foreign debts and ill-conceived policies of government led the country to economic collapse. He said that the days of PTI’s rule were numbered.

He said that the court’ verdict failed the plan of PTI to steal the local government elections as its leaders were aware of their fate. He said that PTI would face the wrath of voters for its anti-people policies.

He said that PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif would soon return to the country and would resume his struggle for civil supremacy.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2021