PESHAWAR, May 20: Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti has assured district nazims that the provincial government has no plan to limit their powers or abolish the local government system.

Nazims of different districts of the province called on the chief minister on Tuesday to apprise him of their grievances regarding development funds, postings and transfers, alleged interference by ministers in affairs of local governments and other problems.

Mr Hoti assured the nazims of his government’s support in their efforts for well-being of people.

When contacted, Peshawar District Nazim Ghulam Ali told Dawn that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere where Senior Minster Bashir Ahmed Bilour, who also holds the portfolio of minister for local government, was also present. The chief minister, he said, had assured the nazims that the government did not have any design against the local government system and asked them to help the government by pinpointing problems being faced by people in their respective districts.

The nazims, he said, wanted to invite the chief minister to a convention of local bodies’ representatives, but the plan had to be dropped for the time being because Mr Hoti would not be available due to budget preparation and other unavoidable activities.

According to a spokesman, the chief minister said his government wanted to ensure good governance in the province and would support the local government system in this regard.

“There is no plan to abolish the local bodies’ system because the system is necessary for giving representation and relief to people at the grassroots level,” Mr Hoti said. “We will give importance to proposals of nazims for development of their respective areas,” he said.

He said objectives of federal, provincial and local governments were the same, adding that coordination among them was essential for development of the province. “We respect local representatives because they have a key role in addressing grievances of people,” he added.

Referring to the law and order situation, the chief minister said the situation was improving because of their efforts for peace and stability in the region. He said the role of public representatives was important in ensuring peace and normalcy in the troubled areas because they had a direct contact with people and understood the situation better.

He told the nazims that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani had earmarked a sufficient amount for rehabilitation and reconstruction of earthquake-hit areas in the province.