Mardan mayor asks CM to resolve LG system issues

MARDAN: Mayor of Mardan Himayatullah has requested the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandpaur to address ongoing issues faced by local government representatives regarding funds, powers, and the functionality of local governments.

In a letter addressed to the chief minister, Mayar, who is also the president of the Local Council Association of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, described the challenges and frustrations of local government representatives.

The letter highlighted that repeated meetings with the minister and secretary of local government have been unsuccessful. He expressed disappointment with the lack of empowerment and resources for local government representatives, noting that many have not been able to conduct council meetings or perform their duties effectively.

The mayor criticised recent proposed rules for the tehsil councils, stating they conflict with Article 140-A of the Constitution of Pakistan and provisions of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government (Amendment) Act 2019. According to Mayar, these rules sideline elected representatives and undermine the role of local governments.

He stated that local governments are essential for ensuring good governance, effective service delivery, and local development. However, he argued that the current system fails to provide these benefits to the people. In his letter, Mayar requested an urgent meeting with the chief minister to discuss several reforms. These include the restoration of the Local Government Act 2019 and alignment of rules with the Act’s provisions, the release of funds to tehsil, city, metropolitan local governments, and village/neighbourhood councils, and the provision of offices, human resources, and logistical support for local governments in the merged districts.

Mayar also called for the payment of legal honoraria and benefits to elected representatives, the return of occupied properties and resources to local governments as mandated by the Local Government Act, and the amendment of P&D guidelines to include mayors and chairmen in development committees.

Additionally, he stressed the need for establishing tehsil offices for devolved departments and the nomination of local representatives to various boards and committees, as well as the transfer of pending property and UIP taxes to tehsil governments.

He also called for equitable distribution of Octroi (GST) shares among local councils and village/neighbourhood councils, the execution of development projects up to Rs2.5 million through project committees, and an extension of the tenure of local governments by two years due to previous dysfunction.The mayor urged the chief minister to intervene promptly to ensure the establishment of a functional and effective local government system in the province.