SWABI: Most of the local governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are on the verge of bankruptcy as majority of tehsil municipal administrations (TMAs) don’t have funds to pay salaries to their employees and pensions to their former workers.

Sources told this scribe that the employees of municipal bodies were deprived of service structure and they also did not get various allowances. They said that the financial position of TMAs was deteriorating with each passing day.

They said that establishment of Local Council Board (LCB) at provincial level was meant to work for welfare of the employees of the local bodies but it failed to deliver.

They said that LCB did not take steps for resolving the financial problems of the local bodies. They said that the board failed to revise the resources of TMAs.

Employees of most of TMAs without salaries since long

Sources said that on the other hand the expenditures of TMA officers were increasing.

They said that officers were using luxury cars as well as hundreds of litres of petrol per month, free telephone and were living in big official bungalows besides enjoying other facilities.

Local Government Employees Federation patron-in-chief Shaukat Kayani, chairman Shaukat Ali Anjum and president Haji Anwar Kamal Khan, when contacted, said that expenses of TMA officers across the province should be curtailed and steps should be taken to steer out the local bodies of financial crisis.

They said that many local government employees and former workers had been waiting for their salaries and pensions for many months.

They said that it was necessary to take practical steps to improve the financial condition of local bodies and their employees.

“The local government bodies can play a key role in providing basic facilities to people,” said Mr Anjum.

ARREST: Police claimed to have arrested the leader of an inter-provincial group of thieves and recovered six snatched rickshaws from him here on Thursday.

Police said that they received information about the presence of the ringleader of auto thieves in Ismaila village. Police arrested him in an operation. The arrested man was identified as Ayaz.

They claimed that the arrested person was involved in stealing rickshaws from various commercial centres and residential areas.

During the initial investigation, he confessed to his crimes and six stolen rickshaws were recovered from his possession.

He has also informed police about his four accomplices, who are expected to be arrested soon.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2023