RAWALPINDI: The local governments in the city and cantonment areas resumed their functions after the election as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had stopped the local government representatives from working till July 25.

All the elected members of Rawalpindi and Chaklala boards formally joined their offices.

“We have requested for the board meeting to discuss the civic problems of the cantonment after formally joining the office,” said Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB) Vice President Raja Irfan Imtiaz while talking to Dawn.

He said the CCB President would soon call the board meeting where the representatives would present their suggestions to improve civic facilities in the cantonment areas.

He said the development work would also be started soon as it was stopped by the election commission.

The CCB vice president said the elected members would visit the cantonment areas and would check the work launched by the CCB to avoid flood like situation.

The Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation will soon meet to review development work in the city areas.

“The development work will be started soon after release of funds from the Punjab government which had been stopped during the elections,” said a senior official of the RMC.

He said the work on three main projects Municipal Library, Pirwadhai General Bus Stand and slaughterhouse would re-start soon and the contractor had been invited to meet the Rawalpindi mayor.

He said the reconstruction of Municipal Library was an important project and RMC wanted to complete it before December.

He said that the funds were available in the account but it had been frozen due to election.

On the other hand, Union Council Chairmen of Rawalpindi wanted to call the meeting of the elected house to discuss the civic problems in different areas especially in low lying areas in the aftermath of recent rains.

They said after the monsoon many areas faced worst sewerage issues thanks to poor show by Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa).

They want the Rawalpindi Mayor to ask Wasa officials to brief the elected house about the contingency plan for monsoon. They also wanted to discuss the water shortage issue in many areas.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2018