PESHAWAR: Uproar marred budget session of the city district council here on Thursday as councillors from the ruling side and opposition demanded allocation of more funds for agriculture, rural development and sanitation.

Councillors hailing from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) also came down heavily on administration of Town-II for poor sanitation work in the area and demanded District Nazim Mohammad Asim to take action against the officials concerned.

The budget session started at the district council hall which was presided over by convener Syed Qasim Ali Shah. District Nazim Mohammad Asim Khan had presented Rs10 billion budget for Peshawar on Wednesday. Councillors protested against the unequal distribution of the budget.

Troubled started during the session when a councillor from the opposition side, Gul Afzal, complained that police had included his name in the list of Qabza Group (land grabbers).

Opposition councillors seek more funds for rural uplift

He said he tried to bring the issue to the notice of capital city police chief and other officers, but they refused to give time for meeting. The councillor set down on the floor to register his protest.

He exchanged hot words with the councilor of the PTI when he protested against the discriminatory attitude of police. A councillor of Awami National Party, Safdar Baghi, chained his hands to protest against the district government for not constructing hospital in Nothia in the name of mother of Asif Baghi who was killed in bomb blast.

A councillor of the PTI attempted to attack the protesting councillor, but other members intervened and averted scuffle between the two members.

ANP councillor Alamzeb Yousafzai said that district Nazim had presented balance budget despite limited resources. He suggested district government to request Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to provide additional funds for the council members. He also proposed that Rs40 million allocated for anti-encroachment drive in the city should be diverted to development side.

PTI Councillor Taqdeer Ali while commenting on the new budget said that district government’s income was from the neighbourhood councils. But the district government had ignored sewerage system in urban area.

Iftikhar Khan pointed out that district government did not allocate funds for collection of waste and sanitation in rural areas. He said that areas in Town-II had virtually turned into garbage dumps and the relevant agency had failed to properly dispose off waste.

Councillors demanded allocation of funds for agriculture and development of village councils in the district. They said the chief minister should allocate cash from his discretionary funds to the council. They also criticised Water and Sanitation Service Peshawar and alleged that the body had failed to keep the city clean.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2017