LG reps blast KP govt for not releasing funds

MANSEHRA: The chairmen of the village and neighbourhood councils on Friday said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government wanted to fail the local governments in the province.

“Over six months had passed since the installation of the local governments at village and neighbourhood councils, but we are still without budgetary and other financial allocations,” Basharat Ali Swati, the chairman of Safada village council, told reporters on Friday.

Led by Basharat Swati, a group of village and neighbourhood councils chairman said that the people were visiting their officers but returned disappointed as they couldn’t address their issues related to civic services.

“The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government frequently amended the Local Government Act 2013 to deprive them of powers envisioned by it and now withheld budgetary allocation, office expenses and chairmen honorariums since these bodies came into power,” he said.

He added that if the government didn’t release funds meant for the development of respective villages and neighbourhood councils, they would be left with no other option but to come onto the streets.

“The tehsil governments, which are backbones of the existing LG system in the province, couldn’t start regular functioning as the government is yet to notify the election schedule of deputy chairman/ convener,” he said.