LAKKI MARWAT: The local body representatives from southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have rejected the amendments to the Local Government Act and announced to stage a sit-in outside the Banigala residence of former prime minister Imran Khan to seek their reversal.

The announcement was made at a meeting held in Bannu on Monday attended by chairmen of village and neighbourhood councils from Bannu, Lakki Marwat, North Waziristan, Karak and DI Khan districts.

Speaking on the occasion, Mian Mehfoozur Rehman, Malik Hashmat Ali Khan, Mureed Hayat, Sufyan Khan, Syed Kamal Shah, Mansoor Alam, Sharif Zaman, Khalid Hasan, Hizbullah Khan and others said the government had not devolved powers to the grassroots level despite lapse of several months since the local body elections were held in the province.

They said they had also staged a sit-in in Peshawar for six days in the recent past for acceptance of their demands, but to no avail.

The LG members demanded of the government to vest the village and neighbourhood council chairmen with the financial powers. The local government representatives said their struggle was apolitical aimed to get their genuine rights.

Also on Monday, councillors from Miryan tehsil of Bannu formed a body to launch integrated efforts for uplift of the area.

Abdul Zaman and Sanaullah were elected unopposed as president and general secretary of the organisation named as All Councillors Ittehad. The newly-elected office-bearers said they would work for betterment of people and ensure transparent utilisation of development funds.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2022