The decision by the Punjab government on Thursday to suspend the administrative powers of the acting district Nazim (Mayor) of Multan and the Tehsil Nazim for the same area has predictably created a new row.

The orders to this effect were issued by Punjab Governor Lt.Gen. (retd.) Khalid Maqbool under the Local Government Ordinance 2001.

In the order, both the acting Mayor Malik Amir Dogar and the Tehsil Mayor Malik Abbas Rana have been stopped from performing their official duties, because they were found to be favouring the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

It may be noted that both men belong to the Awam Dost (people's friends) group, which was formed prior to last year's civic body polls by pro-PPP councillors.

The functions of Multan mayor will now be performed by the district coordination officer (DCO) for Multan, while the duties of the Tehsil Nazim will be taken over by the municipal officer for the area.

The directives given to these officials also asks them to prevent any interference in the polling process by the mayors.

This is the first instance in which a mayor has been suspended for supporting a political party. It may be noted that the mayor of Multan, Shah Makhdoom Qureshi, had earlier clashed repeatedly with the government, whom he had accused of harassing him.

A few months ago, prior to his resignation, Qureshi, in his capacity as head of the Multan district administration had permitted the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) to stage a rally in the city. These orders were overturned on the direct intervention of the Punjab government, and the rally broken up when ARD leaders attempted to organise it.

Qureshi had at the time spoken out against the Punjab government's decision, insisting that he believed the "rally would not pose any threat to law and order" and that he took responsibility for its peaceful conduct.

Qureshi, a former senior PPP leader who resigned from his post as mayor to contest elections as an independent candidate is also expected to sweep "his Multan constituency where his family has great influence.

He has indeed won every election he has contested by large margins. Qureshi's late father was governor of Punjab and like his son enjoyed a reputation as a clean, competent politician.

As such, Qureshi has pointed out that he did not need" the patronage of the acting mayor to win his seat. He has also claimed that many others who "are favouring pro-military‚ candidates" are doing far more than the suspended officials.

Given that the Lahore Mayor, Mian Amir Mehmood, is campaigning openly for "Mian Azhar in his constituency and in fact has said on record that there "is no bar on mayors taking part in politics."

The Punjab governor's decision has inevitably stirred a controversy. The government has already been accused of using district administration to favour its own candidates and the election commission has as a result in fact been forced to warn officials not to intervene in the electoral process.

"The PPP has swiftly condemned the governor's action, with central leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim, who in fact heads the PPP Parliamentarians who are "contesting polls, saying "this just shows the kind of open bias we are faced with."

The PPP Punjab president, Qasim Zia, has seconded this view, saying "what can be an example of more open intervention in the process than this move."

He denied that the concerned district officials were in fact working on behalf of PPP candidates, and added if this is the criteria, then almost 50 per cent mayors in Punjab should be removed for favouring the PML-QA.

It may be noted that so far, no mayor has faced disciplinary action for favouring the candidates backed by the military regime.

As such, the Punjab Governor's unexpected action is certain to create a wide debate, with some predictions being made that to settle the dust an odd "pro-government mayor may also be suspended."

It may be noted that a number of other mayors, mostly based in the southern Punjab, are known to have leaning towards the PPP and it is yet uncertain what fate they may meet.