Elected LG representatives in Mansehra announce to shut offices from 21st

MANSEHRA: The nazims of village and neighbourhood councils from Oghi, Mansehra and Balakot tehsils have announced to lock their offices from August 21 against reduction in development and non-development budgets for the years 2016 and 2017.

After a meeting of nazims from across the district, Mohammad Fareed, the nazim of Channia neighbourhood council, told reporters they would also hold rallies and demonstrations against the provincial government, which he said, had weakened the local government system.

On the occasion, Basharat Ali Swati said that they would send back secretaries of their respective village and neighbourhood councils to the Local Government Department as they neither had expertise in their work nor serving the visitors to their offices.

“The government reduced funds in the current and previous years’ budgets by 70 per cent and the councils have also not received salaries,” he added.

Ghulam Mohammad, the nazim of village council Oghi, said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government claimed much about success of the local government system but in fact the system was being derailed in the province as they have not received their honoraria, rent of offices and overhead expenses for current and previous years.

Atif Khan, nazim of the village council Balakot, stated that other parties liked the local governments but it was the PTI-led government that was bent on weakening it.