LG representatives to stage sit-in on 19th

Complain that for past two years, provincial government has implemented a policy of withholding funds

PESHAWAR:

Local government representatives in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) have announced a sit-in outside the Chief Minister Secretariat on December 19, expressing their discontent over the prolonged denial of funds to village and neighborhood councils.

The officials, during a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, conveyed that for the past two years, the provincial government has implemented a policy of withholding funds, depriving them of the necessary resources and powers to carry out vital development activities.

Addressing the media, Tehsil Chairman Dir Upper, Lakki Marwat, Chairman Village Council Tarakha, Taimur Kamal, Chairman Akbar Pura, Malik Qasim, and others, along with the President of Tehsil Chairmen Association and Mayor Mardan, Himayatullah Mayar, raised concerns about the diminishing effectiveness of the local government system.

They highlighted the adverse impact on problem-solving at the grassroots level, leading to questions about the rationale behind electing local government representatives.

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Mayar pointed out that the Local Government Act 2019, introduced by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, drastically reduced both funds and powers allocated to LG representatives.

This reduction, he argued, has rendered the entire local government system practically useless. Despite legal efforts, including an appeal to the Peshawar High Court, the elected representatives received no relief. According to Mayar, the court passed the responsibility to the next elected government in the province.

Expressing the challenges faced by local government representatives due to the lack of funds and powers, Mayar emphasized that the responsibilities of elected LG representatives have increased significantly, while their ability to deliver on public expectations has been severely hampered.

The absence of financial support has created numerous hurdles, affecting the ability of LGs to address the needs of the public.

In response to the government’s inaction, the representatives announced their decision to stage a protest outside the Chief Minister Secretariat on December 19.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2023.