Development work halted in Punjab, LHC told

LAHORE: The Punjab government on Wednesday told the Lahore High Court that development works in the province had been halted and day to day affairs were being run through administrators only.

Chief Secretary Jawad Rafiq Malik stated this during the hearing of petitions seeking implementation of the Supreme Court’s judgement about restoration of the local governments in the province. The top bureaucrat told the court that the committee formed to implement the judgment held its first meeting on Friday. He said the committee sought two weeks to come up with a plan for the restoration of the LG system. Lahore city’s lord mayor retired Col Mubashir Javed and other representatives opposed the request of the government for more time.

Justice Ayesha A Malik, however, observed that there was no harm in allowing an opportunity to the government to devise a plan and make arrangements for the enforcement of the SC decision. The judge remarked that the judgment of the apex court would be implemented for sure. The judge adjourned the hearing till Sept 7.

Lahore city’s lord mayor and others had filed the petitions. They pleaded that the provincial government failed to restore the local governments despite the Supreme Court issued its detailed judgement in the matter.

They said the failure of the government to implement the decision amounted to contempt of court. The petitioners asked the court to initiate contempt proceedings against the provincial government. The SC had ordered restoration of local bodies in the province after declaring their dissolution as unconstitutional.