MANSEHRA: Members of the Balakot Tehsil Council on Monday urged the provincial government to consult all stakeholders before making any amendments to the Local Government Act, 2013, ahead of the next local body elections.

“The grassroots system, which has now concluded in Hazara Division, was the worst in the history of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as we were completely deprived of the development funds and administrative powers guaranteed under the repeatedly amended Local Government Act,” tehsil council chairman Ibrahim Shah told a session marking the completion of the house’s four-year term.

The session had originally been scheduled for June 28, the last day of the local government system in most parts of Hazara Division, but was postponed due to a public holiday to ensure the participation of village and neighbourhood council chairmen.

During the session, the councillors strongly criticised the successive elected and caretaker governments that remained in power during their four-year tenure, alleging that they had failed to strengthen the local government system.

The council chairman said it had been the darkest period for local governments, as elected representatives had been unable to fulfil the commitments they made to voters during the election campaign four years ago.

“I secured more than 53,000 votes and was determined to serve the people of Balakot tehsil, who had already suffered from devastating natural disasters, including the 2005 earthquake. Unfortunately, I could not meet their expectations because we were denied the resources and authority to deliver,” he said.

Mr Shah said the chairmen of all village and neighbourhood councils, irrespective of their political affiliations, had remained united in support of the local government system.

Mr Shah urged the provincial government to hold local government elections across the province at the earliest but said the new system should be meaningful and empowered.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2026