KOHAT: The chairmen, nazims, and councillors of local bodies have alleged that provincial government has not been releasing funds to them for the last 21 months.

They held a meeting here with city mayor Qari Sher Zaman in the chair, according to a statement. The mayor said that they would approach Peshawar High Court for the payment of the funds denied to them in National Finance Commission (NFC) award and Annual Development Programme (ADP).

Speaking at the meeting, the tehsil chairman of Lachi, Mohammad Ehsaan, said that their voters had been asking them for development projects for their areas.

The city mayor said that they would now seek their share in royalty and other funds from the national and international companies engaged in exploration of natural resources in their areas.

The participants of the meeting criticised the government for keeping the column of Kohat empty in NFC award, and not approving allocation of funds for local bodies’ members in ADP.

The mayor said that government did inform them about lack of funds ahead of general elections.

Gumbat tehsil chairman Sajid Iqbal lamented that they could not even attest any document owing to lack of powers. He said that the majority of his area lacked gas, being produced in Kohat since 2003.

He said that they could not even repair the drains and pave streets owing to lack of funds.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2023