CHITRAL: District nazim Maghfirat Sha has accused the provincial government of creating hurdles to establishment of a university and a 250- bed hospital in Chitral.

He said that provincial government had been withholding 37 per cent budget of the district council for the last nine months. “It has virtually paralysed the district government,” he added.

Addressing the session of district council chaired by its convener Maulana Abdul Shakoor here on Tuesday, the nazim said that provincial government wanted to make the two mega projects in Chitral a failure. He said that the projects were announced by prime minister in September last during his visit to the district.

Nazim says 37pc budget of district council withheld

Mr Shah said that provincial government was not sincere in transferring powers and financial resources to the local bodies. “In the present setup, most of the powers have been vested in bureaucracy that has turned elected representatives subservient to them,” he added.

Mr Shah said that district heads of even devolved departments in the district did not bother to attend the session and respond to the queries raised by members of the council.

The district nazim said that some NGOs working in the district for the last couple of decades had become too strong to implement their own agenda. “Now they dare to mould politics and influence the results of both local and national elections,” he alleged.

Mr Shah said that the organisations should respect the district council and refrain from crossing their limits otherwise they would be kicked out from the district.

About flaws in the tendering process of development projects carried by the village councils, he said that no functionary of the local bodies and the contractor could make embezzle public money without the connivance of the concerned village nazim and secretary. “I will not hesitate to send both of them behind bars when their involvement is established,” he threatened.

Responding to the demand of a number of members of the house, the nazim announced to set up a separate market for women where entry of men would be prohibited.

Regarding the restoration of infrastructures affected by floods in 2015, Mr Shah said that during a conference held in Islamabad last, donors pledged to come to the rescue of the government.

The nazim said that an integrated development project would be launched with the help of donors to ensure a comprehensive development process and restoration of the infrastructures devastated by the floods and earthquake.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2017