Police baton-charge, tear-gas protesting LG members

PESHAWAR: Police on Wednesday fired teargas shells and resorted to baton charge when hundreds of local government (LG) representatives staged a protest outside the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on the first day of the New Year.

Mayors and chairmen of tehsil, village, and neighbourhood councils from across the province have been staging a sit-in since December 26 to demand the release of funds and delegation of powers.

There are around 131 city and tehsil councils in KP and 4,212 village and neighbourhood councils, the majority of which have been deprived of funds. The KP LG system has completed 75 percent of its tenure without receiving funds from the provincial government, forcing these bodies to launch a protest movement. The LG representatives moved from their camp in Jinnah Park to protest on GT Road near Balahisar Fort on Wednesday. They later attempted to march towards the Khyber Road to stage a demonstration outside the KP Assembly. Heavy contingents of police blocked the entrance to the Red Zone, leading to clashes.

Protesters reported injuries due to police baton charges and teargas shelling. Several were arrested while staging what they described as a peaceful demonstration to demand their rights. Police officials confirmed that six LG members were detained by East Cantt police.

The protest and subsequent police action caused severe traffic disruptions. Traffic was diverted to alternative routes, which quickly became clogged, leading to massive jams. Another protest near Gulbahar Police Station further exacerbated the situation, forcing motorists and motorcyclists to use service roads.

Senior leaders of the Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, and other opposition parties condemned the use of force against LG representatives. They demanded immediate release of funds to all the councils so they could work for the development of their areas.

Mayors and chairmen from various councils have been protesting against the KP government, accusing it of depriving them of funds and preventing them from functioning effectively. The first phase of LG elections in KP was held in December 2021, followed by the second phase in March 2022.

The LG representatives’ charter of demands includes restoration of the Local Government Act 2019, immediate release of funds to tehsil, city, and metropolitan councils, as well as village and neighbourhood councils and a two-year extension in the LG tenure due to a lack of proper functionality over the past three years.

The charter said that LG bodies and TMAs have been dysfunctional due to a lack of funds, halting social and municipal services since 2021.