October 19, 2008	Sunday	Shawwal 19, 1429

PESHAWAR, Oct 18: A meeting of the district nazims of the NWFP will be held soon to devise an affective strategy against the possible amendments in the Local Government (LG) system by the government.

Peshawar District Nazim Haji Ghulam Ali told reporters here on Saturday that date for the meeting had not been finalised as yet but it might be held on Oct 22, which would be attended by nazims of all the districts of the province to take a unified step for protection of the system.

Commenting on the proposed amendments to the LG system, he said the government instead of weakening the system should solve the issues of wheat flour shortage, power outages and deteriorating law and order situation.

Mardan District Nazim Himaytullah Mayar, when contacted told Dawn that the restoration of magistracy system was sheer violation of the law and nazims would not remain silent spectators over the issue.

He said that the powers to impose section 144 were withdrawn from the district nazims by the government which was in violation of the rules. He added that the nazims would move a court of law against the unilateral decisions of the government.

Mr Mayar said that the nazims were elected representatives of their respective districts and the government was duty bound to honour their mandate and take them into confidence while amending any law in the LG system.

Had the government floated any idea for amendments the nazims would have also expressed their views about them. He said the proposed amendments had been kept secret from the nazims.

The powers of commissioners, he said, were not clear as to under which law they would exercise their powers.