PESHAWAR, May 28: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain on Monday said his government was ready to hold local government elections in the province in October or November this year in case a need arose.

“Indeed, the local government system is the best. It should be in place whether one likes or dislikes,” he said during a local hotel function, where findings of the ‘Social Audit of Local Governance and Delivery of Public Services, 2011-12,’ survey was released.

The minister appreciated the UNDP efforts fro carrying out the audit in collaboration with Pakistani universities.

He said the system of local bodies was good as it was a good services delivery system at grassroots level and that the common man had an easy access to elected representatives.

Mr Iftikhar said democracy had no substitute and local bodies were part of it.

“However, unfortunately, dictators used this system for personal gains. During the eras of Ziaul Haq and Pervez Musharraf, the system was ruined,” he said.

He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the first province in the country to pass the Local Government Act and that the next local body elections would be held here under the said Act on party basis.

“After local government elections, the old magistracy system will replace the existing one,” he said.

The minister termed 18th Constitutional Amendment a silent revolution and said it had not only transferred the authority to the provinces but also the responsibility.

“Now, it is up to the provinces to make best use of it in their best interests,” he said.

Azhar Saeed Malik of UNDP and Dr Mohsin of IM Sciences, Peshawar, also spoke on the occasion. They highlighted salient features of the audit.

Also in the day, the minister addressed a Haripur Press Club oath-taking ceremony.

He appreciated the efforts of the information department and the Abbottabad Press Club for uniting the office-bearers of Haripur Press Club after resolving their 17-year-old differences.

Mr Iftikhar announced the construction of Haripur Press Club premises and a media colony, and the grant of Rs0.5million for the club.

He said he never supported a particular journalist group in any part of the province and always stressed the need for unity among journalists.

The minister said Hazara was part and parcel of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and was never treated unfairly.

“We always gave love and affection to the people of Hazara. Some disgruntled elements have deliberately destroyed the peaceful atmosphere of Hazara division for personal interests,” he said.

Mr Iftikhar said the demand for a separate province was the right of the people of Hazara but for that, they should adopt a legal and constitutional way.

He said the government wouldn’t tolerate the shutting down of businesses, blocking of the roads or violent behaviour in the name of separate province in the province.

Higher education minister Qazi Mohammad Asad also addressed the function and announced Rs1.5 million for the Haripur Press Club. Information secretary Azmat Hanif Orakzai and information director Shuaibuddin were also in attendance.