LG reps all set to flex their muscles

Plan to hold demo in front of Punjab Assembly next week

LAHORE: Councillors Ittehad is all set to flex its muscles to get power in the new local government system. A sizable group of general councillors from various districts of Punjab are gearing up to agitate in front of the provincial assembly during next week.

Councillor Ittehad leader from Lahore, Nadeem Saqib Butt, told The Express Tribune that the alliance has been activated in 16 districts of Punjab and has members from the ruling party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and other political parties among its ranks. A couple of weeks ago, the Councillor Ittehad was limited to only 13 districts of Punjab.



In Lahore, Butt highlighted, the group has the support of around 250 general councillors from different union councils. Though most members of the alliance belong to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), general councilors from other political parties are also joining the Councillor Ittehad to get empowered.

“Few general councillors from the JI have also approached me and expressed their interest in joining the alliance as it is struggling for a common cause. The JI has around 20 general councillors in Lahore and all of them are willing to join the Councillor Ittehad to register their protest,” he maintained.

Right now, he pointed out, there are two different groups of general councilors that are struggling for power in the new local government system. Councillor Ittehad has spread to 16 districts of the province and it would soon win the support of general councillors from the remaining 20 districts of Punjab, he said. But added another group of councilors from north Lahore was also planning to protest on Mall Road. A couple of days ago, this group staged a small demonstration in their local area.



He said general councilors from Lahore, Sheikhupura, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Jhang, Multan, Narowal, Toba Tek Singh, Vehari, Sialkot, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Gujrat, Dera Ghazi Khan, Okara, Jehlum, Mianwali, Kasur and Rawalpindi will participate in the protest in large numbers. He highlighted that general councilors from Islamabad Capital Territory will also participate as local government representatives from Punjab and the provincial capital are facing a similar challenge.

He pointed out that the provincial government had introduced the local government system, but not empowered representatives. “All elected local government representatives have a value of a showpiece because they have no say in the development process. Though, chairmen have some limited authority, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2017.