LG reps urge KP govt to release Rs42b fund

MANSEHRA: The chairmen of village and neighbourhood councils on Saturday demanded the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to release Rs42 billion fund earmarked by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government for local governments across the province.

“Almost a year has passed since the local governments were installed in the province but neither the previous Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf nor the caretaker government released any fund.

Chief Justice of Pakistan should take suo motu notice in this regard,” Malik Mumtaz, the chairman of Lassan Thakral village council, told a meeting largely attended by chairmen here.

He said that the Chief Justice of Pakistan was a ray of hope for the nation as neither the federal nor provincial caretaker government was sincerely working for the welfare of the people.

“If Rs42 billion funds earmarked by the previous PTI government are released, the execution of development projects, halted for the last one year, could be initiated,” Mumtaz said.

Basharat Ali Swati, the chairman of the Safada village council, told the meeting that if the development funds were not released within a week they would launch a street agitation against the government across the province.

“The LG elections were held in KP by the order of the apex court but

successive governments deprived them of development funds and other perks,” he added.

The participants of

the meeting also demanded an inquiry into the corruption of the free distribution of wheat flour in the district.

“If the Mansehra tehsil chairman made any attempt to impose a presiding

officer through bulldozing the LG Act, we would foil any such move forcibly as the majority of the

council wants free and fair elections for the said office,” said Nasira Bibi, a councillor elected on seats reserved for women.

She said that the Election Commission should hold elections of the tehsil council’s presiding officers in accordance with LG Act.