KHYBER: Local government representatives observed black day on Friday over ‘denial’ of powers and development funds as they marked the completion of four years in office.

In Khyber district, the Jamrud, Bara and Landi Kotal tehsil councils’ representatives held demonstrations while wearing black armbands and holding placards inscribed with slogans in support of their demands.

Azmat Khan, Shah Khalid and Mufti Kafeel, chairmen of Jamrud, Landi Kotal and Bara tehsils, respectively, addressed separate protest gatherings, regretting that people of the merged districts had high hopes of the newly-introduced local bodies’ system in the region but the provincial government had ‘denied’ them their legitimate powers.

They said that to further compound the situation for the councillors, the provincial government diverted development funds allocated for the local bodies to the members of provincial assemblies, which was against the spirit of democracy and public mandate.

Accuse govt of diverting their funds to members of provincial legislature

They alleged that the LG representatives had been reduced to mere certifiers or attesters of different documents. They warned of an extended protest campaign throughout the merged districts if the provincial government failed to provide them their constitutional powers and the development funds.

In Bajaur district, the local government members demonstrated against the ‘denial’ of funds and powers. The demonstration was held in front of the Bajaur Press Club in Khar attended by chairmen of various village and neighbourhood councils and councillors from across the district.

The protesters, carrying banners inscribed with slogans against the provincial government over amendments to the relevant law, also chanted slogans against the government for ‘denying’ them the funds and powers.

Khar tehsil council chairman Haji Said Badshah, Eng Ameer Nawab, Haji Anwar Hussain, Zahoor Ahmed Utman, Farmanullah, and others spoke on the occasion.

They said the tenure of the local bodies, elected on December 19, 2021, would end in March 2026. However, they alleged the provincial government did not provide them with funds or powers throughout these four years.

The speakers said the provincial government claimed to have provided Rs1-3 billion to the local bodies in Bajaur for development over the last four years, but they insisted these funds existed only on paper.

In Shangla too, members of Alpuri tehsil council held a protest meeting against the ‘denial of funds and powers. The LG representatives said during the tenures of three different chief ministers, powers of local government representatives were curtailed and development funds frozen.

Tehsil chairman Waqar Ahmed Khan, opposition leader Ali Bash Khan, speaker Mohammad Alam Khan and chairmen Shahid Khan Ali Khan, Badar Munir, Junaid Roz, Saeedullah, Sohail Iqbal, Noor Alam and Gul Mohammad Khan spoke on the occasion.

They alleged that former chief ministers Mahmood Khan and Ali Amin Gandapur, as well as the current leadership, ‘deliberately’ rendered local government institutions ineffective, adding incumbent Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had also failed to restore the rights of local representatives.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2025