SWABI: The three major parties in Swabi tehsil council on Wednesday decided to allow the sitting PML-N nazim Wahid Shah for the remaining three months of the council’s tenure instead of going for voting on the no-confidence motion against him.

The total strength of the council is 22. Nine members of the council belong to PTI, six to JI, three to PML-N and one each to ANP, PPP and JUI-F. Ms Tabassum, a councillor, had already resigned.

Sources said that the PTI leaders had made serious efforts to woo some members of JI, but failed to lure them.

They said that Mr Wahid had settled his dispute with Iqbal Zada, a leading member of JI in the tehsil council, and once he gave up the idea to counter the nazim the other members followed suit.

Councillors to get equal share in funds

The no-confidence motion was moved against Mr Wahid by PTI in the hope that JI would support it. In the council, one group was led by Mr Wahid, one by PTI and another by JI.

A jirga of three councillors, including Fazal Hayat, Riaz Ali Shah and Khalid Shah, met with the nazim and PTI and JI leaders and struck a consensus formula under which the funds would be distributed equally among the councillors and the nazim would complete his tenure.

GOVT DECISION WELCOMED: The Afghan refugees have welcomed the decision of the government of Pakistan to allow them to open accounts in local banks during their stay in the country.

The PTI government has given a green signal to the Afghan refugees that they could open their accounts here. “It was a big step of the government and all refugees have welcomed the initiative which would help them to secure their money,” said Azmat Shah Afghani. The refugees appreciated the government’s decision as a bold step.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2019