HARIPUR, July 17: About 45 of 105 deputy commissioners had left the country, refusing to work under the new local government system, a workshop held in Haripur was told on Sunday.

The orientation workshop for people aspiring to be candidates in the coming local body elections was held at a local hotel.

The short course was arranged by the Dihat Dost Tanzeem and Women Voice Haripur and attended by a number of male and female candidates, social workers, former councillors, naib nazims and nazims from union councils of Sikandarpur, Haripur City North and Ali Khan.

Niaz Kathia, president of Dihat Dost Tanzeem, briefed the participants about election rules, eligibility criteria, poll expenditure limits, campaign mode, election fee and amendments made to the Local Government Ordinance 2000.

The intending candidates put several questions to the resource persons regarding the election process.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr Kathia said that the elements who wanted to live under centuries-old colonial rule were taking the district government system as a threat to their domain and were conspiring to destabilize the system.

Some 45 out of a total 105 deputy commissioners left the country, refusing to work under the new system, he said, adding that the system had for the first time devolved powers to the grassroots level. But, he added, the people had to further strengthen the system which was friendly to them.

He told the gathering that his organization had also established an election facilitation camp near the district courts where the candidates would be helped in collection and filing of nomination papers by three lawyers on a voluntary basis.

Voters would also be educated so that they elected honest and true representatives.