KARAK: The councillors of village councils have accused nazims of usurping their rights.

They voiced their concern at a meeting of the Councillors Ittehad held here on Sunday with its president Umer Khan in the chair. The meeting was attended by councillors in a large number.

Speaking on the occasion, Umer Khan complained that the village council nazims bypassed the councillors in all decisions and distribution of funds. He said the nazims had established offices in their private guesthouses (hujras) but were receiving rent from the government regularly.

He said the nazims were taking Rs60,000 rent and other expenditures per month from the funds of the village councils. He added that nazims and engineers had made an alliance against the councillors as they were usurping the uplift funds of the village councils through mutual agreement.

Umer Khan alleged that village nazims had become contractors as they were taking the contracts of uplift projects to be completed with the village council funds.

He alleged that they were selling the projects and the councillors, who were the integral part of the local government system, had no say in the entire process as they had been pushed against the wall.

He recalled that they had uncovered the alleged corrupt practices of the village nazims at every forum and claimed that it had been brought into the notice of the provincial government, but to no avail.

He claimed that they had been left with no option but to protest, regretting that the government was not sincere in implementation of the local government system in letter and spirit. He said the councillors would launch a protest movement after Eidul Fitr.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2018