25 January 2004	Sunday	02 Zilhaj 1424

NOWSHERA, Jan 24: Nowshera Nazim Pervez Khattak has criticized the formation of 31 town councils in seven districts, having only one tehsil, which are unconstitutional and working parallel to the district governments.

Speaking at a three-day seminar jointly organised by the UNDP, the EIROP and the NWFP local government department here on Friday, Mr Khattak said these town councils were illegal as they had no mention in the Local Government Ordinance 2001.

The NWFP government had created these councils to run parallel to district governments in the province, he said, and added, the government had selected the newly-created districts which had only one tehsil. The Local Council Board had adjusted most of its surplus staff in the town councils, which was, in fact, a burden on the district governments, he observed.

He said most of the town councils, which were at the mercy of the tehsil and district governments, were short of funds. In the past, those municipal committees which had been responsible for the maintenance of cleanliness, provision of drinking water and streetlights had become irrelevant working as town councils.

Apparently, local government system in the province had failed owing to the involvement of the provincial government. There was nothing like government in the 24 districts, because MNAs, MPAs and Nazims all were using their authority simultaneously, he added.

He said the interference by many people in the affairs of the district governments had made a mess of the entire local system. The anarchy was prevailing everywhere, he added.