Local govt officials are powerless: Asad Umar

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Asad Umar said on Saturday that the elected local government officials are powerless which the reason behind unending problems.

Asad Umar in an interview stated that mayor of Islamabad is a courtier of the prime minister and his sole responsibility is to ensure his presence to facilitate Nawaz Sharif in his public appearances.

“He has no powers and that’s the reason behind persistent problems that are being faced by the masses.” Asad Umar said.

He said the PTI is committed to devolve power to the local representatives to ensure better governance. He said that Islamabad is undergoing worst water shortage and this needs to be addressed at the earliest.

Responding to a question, the PTI leader said most of the surveys conducted in NA-54 shown PTI’s strengthened position in the constituency.

“The PML-N has tried to steer changes in the constituency during the recent delimitation, but it will not affect the PTI vote bank,” he said, and added that Imran Khan’s win is evident in NA-54. He urged the people of Islamabad to vote for the “bat” to make Islamabad a beautiful capital.

Meanwhile, a PTI leader said Abid Sher Ali’s statement is a manifestation of the defeat he is foreseeing in the upcoming elections. The PTI Deputy Secretary General Farrukh Habib stated that Imran Khan fielded a worker against an “heir of dynastic politics”.

“Abid Sher Ali should extend his sympathies towards PML-N members like Zaeem Qadri,” said Farrukh Habib. He further said that being a relative of Sharif family is the only identity of a stooge like Abid Sher Ali.