First meeting: District council suggests ban on sale of toy guns

Discusses issues of infrastructure, security faced by locals

PESHAWAR: The first formal meeting of the Peshawar district council was held at the District Council Hall in the city where council members discussed issues that ought to be addressed at the earliest.

At the meeting, members of the council complained that they have not yet been briefed about their responsibilities and also have not been given funds to run their respective union councils.

Metropolis and around

About projects and rehabilitation work in the city, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Rahman Dil Nawaz said that the Bara River bridge that collapsed in May has yet to be reconstructed. On the other hand, there are projects that have not yet been initiated though their funds have been released.

Along with discussing issues pertaining to infrastructure, the district council members also demanded that the district nazim issue a notification to NADRA so that their names be authorised. “If we cannot attest legal documents, how will we be able to address the issues faced by locals?” asked district council member Advocate Mubashir Manzoor.

Officials of the government departments, including Peshawar District Education Officer Samina Ghani, were also present on the occasion.

Moreover, the issue of toy guns was also raised. A two-third of the majority concurred that the sale of toy guns be banned, after which convener of the council, Syed Qasim Ali Shah, issued special directive to Deputy Commission Riaz Mehsud to take action against wholesalers of the toy in Peshawar district. The convener added that neither the district nazim nor the police should be bothered to release the vendors.

The plan

District council member Sartaj Khan said the district nazim and naib nazim should work hand in hand.

District nazim Muhammad Asim, who was also present on the occasion, said, “Education institutions that have been standing padlocked as well as health units will be opened.”

Former convener of Peshawar district council, Razaullah Khan Chagharmatti, was also invited to the meeting. He said that the council should run in a pleasant manner and proposed that district government officials not discuss matters directly in the house. He continued that officials concerned should be informed in writing instead and subsequently the district nazim or naib nazim would raise the issue in the council.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2015.