LG reps to get powers & funds: Governor

NOWSHERA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Ghulam Ali said on Sunday that powers would be delegated to elected members, chairmen and mayors of local governments besides giving them Rs32 billion funds for the development projects in respective councils.

Speaking at a reception hosted by a former nazim Qaiser Khan in Mohib Banda, he said the previous government led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had left the local government system ineffective as powers and funds were not given to the elected chairmen and mayors.

He said that now the situation had changed and the LG system would be strengthened to better serve masses at grassroots level.The governor lashed out at the PTI leaders for the violence and arson on May 9 last and damaging the public and private properties.

He alleged that PTI chief Imran Khan was the mastermind of the May 9 mayhem, who had brainwashed the youth for violence and always dubbed the prominent personalities and politicians as thieves and robbers.

Ghulam Ali said ousted prime minister Imran Khan was now making requests for holding talks with everyone to for a solution to the prevailing problems but when he was in power he had said he would never sit with opponents and would never get tired of branding them thieves.

He said that Imran Khan had been isolated for his violent politics or else politics was the name of peace, respect and mutual consultation to jointly work for the betterment of people and country.

Addressing the business community convention in Azakhel Bala as chief guest, the governor said boosting industrial sector and businesses were the need of the hour to steer the country out of the prevailing economic meltdown.

Former minister Liaqat Khattak, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Business Forum head Al-Haj Pervez Khan Khattak, Sardar Alam Khan, and others were also present.The governor said that the country was facing the critical situation due to the wrong economic policies of the past rulers.

He said that the previous rulers had left the country under huge debt due to their incompetence.Ghulam Ali said that the government had to take tough decisions in the prevailing situation. However, he expressed the hope that the government would overcome all the difficulties and provide relief to the people.

The governor said that industrialists and investors should come forward at this crucial phase of history and invest in the industrial sector and launch businesses to create employment opportunities for the youth.

He said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Project would usher in a new era of development and prosperity in the region.Ghulam Ali said that Peshawar was becoming a business hub, adding that the incumbent government was promoting industries and businesses and constructing motorways and roads and Azakhel Dry-port to facilitate investors.