MANSEHRA: The PML-N-led local government came under attack in the Mansehra district council from both the treasury and opposition benches over bad governance.

“This district government was formed to address the people’s basic problems but it has miserably failed to deliver. This august house has adopted 219 resolutions during the last two years seeking the resolution of the people’s problems but there came no action from the local government due to bad governance,” PML-N district member Abdul Aziz told the council on Monday.

The council met with its convener, Ghulam Murtaza Tanoli, in the chair.

The councillors highlighted the people’s complaints and protests over the poor law and order situation, water shortage and scarcity of spaces at graveyard.

Nazim seeks members’ help for effective resolution of people’s problems

Jamaat-i-Islami member Ehtesham Ali insisted that the police system hadn’t changed in the province, especially in the district, belying the government’s claim as the incidence of theft and torture by the police was on the rise.

He said the police registered FIRs to favour influential people and didn’t bring criminals to justice.

PTI member Aslam Khan Baffa claimed that work had yet to begin on scores of local development schemes despite the completion of the tendering process.

“Despite receiving work orders and due funds, contractors are reluctant to execute projects. All this is happening due to the local government’s inefficiency and bad governance,” he said.

The councillor complained that heads of the devolved departments didn’t attend the council’s sessions and ironically, the district government didn’t act against them.

PPP member Malik Farooq said the Nawaz Sharif government had released Rs200 million for the acquisition of land for new graveyard in Mansehra almost a year ago but the money continued to be in the bank accounts of the relevant authorities and therefore, the people struggled to get place to bury their dead in local cemeteries.

District nazim Sardar Said Ghulam said both treasury and opposition benches should offer support and cooperation to the local government for the early yet effective resolution of the people’s problems.

PTI OFFICE-BEARERS: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has named presidents for its urban bodies in Mansehra and Oghi areas on Monday.

PTI district president Babar Saleem Swati appointed Anique Zulfiqar Khan the party’s president for Mansehra city and Zulfiqar Qureshi for Oghi town.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2017