MARDAN: Women councillors from different union councils of Mardan have said that local government system is useless without powers and funds.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, they threatened to stage a sit-in on October 10 outside the residence of PTI chief Imran Khan in Bani Gala, Islamabad if provincial government did not accept their demands about provision of funds and devolution of powers.

They asked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to wind up the system if it couldn’t devolve powers to grassroots level and provide funds to representatives of local government.

The press conference was addressed by Women Councillors Ittehad president Zakia Minhad, senior vice president Khaika Naz, Nighat Begum, Akhtar Bibi and others.

They said that provincial government was not willing to transfer powers and funds to the representatives of local government despite passing of two years. They said that provincial government, which was taking credit for holding local government elections in the province, was itself trying to fail the system.

The councillors said that their voters were demanding of them to launch development schemes but they were unable to initiate any project as they were without powers and funds.

“We are unable to face our voters because we have promised them during elections campaign that after winning the polls we will launch development schemes in our councils,” they added.

The women councillors threatened to stage a sit-in on October 10 outside the residence of PTI chief Imran Khan in Bani Gala, Islamabad if provincial government did not accept their demands about provision of funds and devolution of powers till October 9.

SCHOOLS: The district administration has said that strict action will be taken against the people, who have occupied the buildings of 25 government schools, if they fail to vacate the buildings voluntarily till September 30.

The decision was taken in a meeting held here on Wednesday with Assistant Deputy Commissioner Afsar Ail in the chair.

The meeting was attended by officials of education department and other departments concerned.

The meeting was told that 25 government school buildings in different parts of the district were illegally occupied by some influential people. The meeting decided to issue notices to the illegal occupants of the school buildings to vacate the premises till September 30.

Officials said that the meeting was held after receiving complaints by residents of the city about the illegal occupation of government schools buildings.

Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2016