Hafiz Naeem says 'worst dictatorship' prevailing in Punjab, criticizes LG Act

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan chief, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, on Wednesday strongly criticized the Punjab government, alleging that “the worst form of dictatorship” is prevailing in the province.

Speaking to the media after a hearing related to local government elections at the Lahore High Court, he termed the Punjab Local Government Act unconstitutional and accused the government of undermining democratic principles.

He said the government is not transferring powers to the grassroots level and is attempting to hold local government elections on a non-party basis, which he described as a violation of the Constitution.

JI chief said that the current system deprives citizens of their right to freely elect their representatives, adding that democracy in Punjab has been replaced by authoritarian practices.

Hafiz Naeem said that his party has challenged the Local Government Act in court and that there was positive progress during the latest hearing, adding that the court has directed authorities not to delay the case further.

He further stated that the law weakens the local government system as it fails to devolve authority to the lower tiers. “When powers are not transferred to the grassroots level, people begin to demand new provinces,” he warned.

Criticizing the structure of the proposed system, he said elections would be held indirectly, where nine candidates would be selected proportionately in the election. Those nine candidates will select four reserved seats members and then all those members will go on to choose additional representatives, ultimately selecting the Union Council chairman and vice chairman. He termed this mechanism undemocratic.

He also expressed concern that the public has not been given the direct right to elect Union Council chairmen, calling it “regrettable” and against democratic norms.

The Jamaat-e-Islami chief accused the Punjab government of attempting to consolidate power through legislation, saying such practices have no place in a democratic system.

Responding to a question, he voiced serious concern over prolonged electricity outages, calling hours-long load shedding “cruel” despite the country having sufficient power generation capacity.

He also claimed that the JI protest previously forced the federal government to reduce the petroleum levy, adding that many political actors remain silent on issues of injustice.