MANSEHRA: The representatives of local governments here on Sunday said that they would launch agitation next week against denial of funds and powers to them.

“Even after two years of formation of local governments in the province, we are still without development funds and authoritative rights enshrined by LG Act 2013,” Basharat Ali Swati, general secretary of Chairmen Ittehad, told a press conference.

Flanked by other office-bearers of the association, he said that earlier in the day a meeting of the chairmen of village and neighbourhood councils from the district was held with its president Malik Mumtaz in the chair that decided to launch a street agitation next week.

“Over 4,200 chairmen and councillors of local governments across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been deprived of developmental funds, office rents, overhead charges and monthly honorarium by the provincial government,” said Mr Swati said.

Chairmen Ittehad leader says they will stage sit-in in Islamabad

He said that they would stage sits-in outside Supreme Court and Election Commission of Pakistan in Islamabad next week. He said that local government representatives from the entire province would take part in the protest.

PRICES: The prices of chicken and tomatoes have surged to a record high as the former is sold at Rs510 per kilogram and the latter at Rs450 per kilogramg in the district.

“We have experienced history’s highest inflation in recent weeks but it is unimaginable that chicken is being sold at Rs510 per kilogram and tomato at Rs450 per kilogram,” said Waqar Khan, a customer buying chicken at a shop.

Locals said that district administration failed to check rates of essential commodities. They said that price of egg also surged despite its huge local production.

LAND: The provincial government has ordered acquisition of land for graveyard in the city and its suburbs.

“I have directed revenue department to acquire an appropriate piece of land where people of the city and its suburbs could bury their loved ones,” Babar Saleem Swati, speaker of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, told journalists here on Sunday.

He said that funds of Rs200 million were deposited in the district administration’s account for acquisition of land in 2017 that were still unutilised.

Mr Swati said that work on gravity flow water supply scheme, which was approved by the previous PTI government with Rs19 billion financial assistance of Saudi Arabia, would soon be initiated.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2024