LG reps warn of 'largest protest in history'

Local government representatives of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have announced a sit-in in front of the Chief Minister's House on September 4.

The spokesperson of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Councils Association Action Council and Sarai Naurang Tehsil Chairman Azizullah Khan stated that a consultative meeting on August 20 had issued the deadline of August 27 to the provincial government to solve the issue faced by LG representatives.

"If serious measures are not taken to resolve the issues of local governments, a sit-in will be held in front of the Chief Minister's House on September 4," he warned. In this connection, members of the action council will start visiting different districts from Tuesday and invite local representatives to participate in the September 4 sit-in.

According to Intizar Ali Khalil, the "largest sit-in in the history of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa" will be held by local governments representatives. The demonstration will continue until the demands presented by the action council are approved and implemented.

"Local governments in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are completely paralszed, and this has significantly affected the provision of public services," he said.

In May this year, neiighborhood and village council chairmen from across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) staged a protest outside the assembly, demanding the release of funds withheld by the provincial government.

The protestors accused the government of failing to provide the necessary funds to local governments over the past two years, leaving them unable to address the day-to-day issues in their constituencies.

During the demonstration, the protestors blocked Khyber Road to all vehicular traffic, chanting slogans against the government for its delaying tactics. The road closure caused severe traffic jams throughout the city, inconveniencing the general public.