PESHAWAR: Local Government (LG) representatives from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa staged a sit-in outside the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Friday, demanding restoration of their powers and release of funds.
The protest began under the leadership of Peshawar Mayor Zubair Ali and Mardan Mayor Himayatullah Mayar after Friday prayers.
Mayors, tehsil chairmen and other LG members gathered at Jinnah Park before marching in a rally towards the provincial assembly building.
The demonstrators later staged a sit-in at Assembly Chowk, chanting slogans in support of their demands and vowing to continue the protest until their issues are resolved.
The city faced severe traffic jams during the protest as the busy Khyber Road was blocked by the authorities after closing the iron gate. The traffic was diverted to alternative roads. This led to congestion on other roads as well, causing inconvenience to commuters and motorists.
Speaking on the occasion, Mayor Zubair Ali and Himayatullah Mayar, who is also president of the Local Councils Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, alleged that LGs in the province had been deliberately weakened under a “planned strategy” over the past four years.
They said elected local representatives had repeatedly been denied their constitutional powers and development funds, terming it “injustice not only to local representatives but also to the people they serve.”
The speakers claimed that several rounds of negotiations had been held with then chief ministers Mahmood Khan and Ali Amin Gandapur during which assurances were given for resolution of their issues. They added that minutes of those meetings had also been issued, but practical steps had yet to be taken.
They stated that the Peshawar High Court had ruled in favour of LG representatives regarding powers and development funds and had struck down certain amendments made to the Local Government Act 2019. However, they alleged that the provincial government had failed to implement court decisions and honour its commitments.
Awami National Party leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain joined the protest in solidarity, while Opposition Leader in the KP Assembly MPA Dr Ibadullah expressed support for the local representatives.
The ANP leader said the provincial government should grant LG representatives their rights.
Dr Ibadullah said it was the duty of Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi to resolve the issue of the LG representatives, but alleged that he was absent. Without mentioning the name of PTI founder Imran Khan, he claimed that KP’s resources had been used for nearly 13 years for the love of one person. “Serving the people is not the manifesto of the PTI,” he said.
Representatives from various districts, including Swabi, Bajaur, Upper Dir and Peshawar, participated in the demonstration. Leaders of the association said the sit-in would continue until their constitutional rights were restored and court rulings implemented.
