Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ties local government polls to Punjab

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has decided to hold fresh local government (LG) elections instead of extending the tenure of the current bodies. However, K-P's position is that the new polls will be linked to similar elections in other provinces.

On the other hand, the Local Council Association (LCA), the representative body of LG members, has announced it will move the court if the elections are not held within the constitutional timeframe.

Local body elections in K-P were conducted in two phases. The first phase took place on December 19, 2021, with the local governments formed on March 31, 2022. The second phase, covering the hilly districts, was held in June 2022. Under the existing schedule, LGs in the plains will complete their term on March 31, 2026, while those in the hilly districts will expire in June 2026.

Local representatives argue that during their tenure they have neither been provided development funds nor given defined powers, and therefore their term should be extended. The provincial government, however, has no such plan.

Provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam stated that no proposal to extend the tenure is under consideration, adding that K-P will hold LG elections if Punjab does so, as local bodies in Punjab are currently inactive.

Meanwhile, LCA Chairman Himayatullah Mayar stressed that under the Constitution, the tenure of LGs starts from the day representatives take oath. "If elections are not held after the dissolution of LGs, we will approach the court," he warned.

LCA Coordinator Intizar Khalil added that local representatives were neither given funds nor allowed to work according to the law. The association has demanded a tenure extension and is holding negotiations with the K-P chief minister in this regard.