MANSEHRA: Local body representatives here on Wednesday announced that they would stage a protest sit-in outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to protest the denial of development funds and powers granted under the relevant Act.

“We’ve decided to join the Dec 17 sit-in planned outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail where founder of the ruling PTI Imran Khan is detained,” Local Government Ittehad general secretary Basharat Ali Swati told reporters here.

He said that the village and neighbourhood council chairmen met here and endorsed the recent decision of the provincial body of local body members about street protests to claim rights.

“Three years have passed since the installation of local governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but we are still without development funds and powers promised in the Local Government Act, 2013,” he said.

Complain about denial of uplift funds, powers

Mr Swati said that representatives of local governments from across the district and other parts of the province would gather outside Adiala Jail on Dec 17 for a protest sit-in to protest the denial of development funds and powers by the provincial government.

“We want to convey our grievances to the jailed PTI leader, Imran Khan, who once declared our grassroots system of governance the backbone of democracy, but his party ruling KP has failed to accept that and is constantly denying funds to local governments,” he said.

The LGI general secretary said that the local body members would also meet with the federal finance minister on Dec 18 to request the transfer of 20 per cent share from funds under the National Finance Commission Award directly to local governments.

“We will persuade the federal government to ensure the direct award of that amount to us throughout the province,” he said.

HELD: Police have arrested several residents here for uploading firearm videos on social media platforms.

“We have launched a crackdown on TikTokers, social media influencers, and others exhibiting arms in their online videos. Many have been arrested and seized weapons and ammunition,” district police officer Shafiullah Khan Gandapur told reporters in his office here on Wednesday.

He said that the action had been conducted across the district to discourage display of firearms on social media.

“Legal action has also been taken against the youth uploading celebratory fire footage on social media,” he said.

The DPO said that the action was taken under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Arms Act, 2013.

He said that a control room with a landline number had been activated to promptly address such law violations, as celebratory gunfire endangered public life.

Mr Gandapur urged residents to report incidents of firing in the air or firearm display to the police’s control room, saying their identity won’t be disclosed.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2024