PESHAWAR: Pandemonium marred the meeting of Peshawar district council when members of opposition parties started protest against what they called discrimination against them in release of funds.

The opposition members gathered in the middle of the council hall and started shouting. Noor Wali, a councillor of PTI, climbed his table to join the protest.

The protesting councillors chanted slogans against district nazim Mohammad Asim Khan for not releasing funds in different sectors. The council meeting was chaired by district naib nazim Syed Qasim Ali Shah.

The councillors also questioned holding of the council meeting after six months. They said that meetings of the district council should be held each month.

Rahamdil Nawaz of PML-N was the first to take the floor when the proceedings started. “Why the district nazim is not releasing funds allocated for my ward in Bazidkhel village,” he questioned. He said that it was discrimination against him.

Councillors protest ‘discriminatory’ attitude of nazim over funds’ distribution

He left his chair and chanted slogans in the middle of the council. The councillors of PPP, ANP and PML-N also joined him in protest. The noise disrupted the proceedings of the council.

They were raising slogans when PTI councillor Noor Wali climbed the table and said that he had been facing mental agony for the last one year owing to the discriminatory attitude of the district nazim.

“The sin I have committed is that I have asked details of millions of development funds utilised on the directives of the district nazim,” he said.

PML-N councillor Rahamdil Nawaz told Dawn that the city district government stopped releasing around Rs6 million funds on the directives of district nazim.

The frozen funds were meant for pavement of streets, providing missing facilities to schools and hospitals and purchasing sewing machines and sports items.

The house unanimously passed a resolution to demand of the provincial and city district governments to ensure ban on non-biodegradable shopping bags. The resolution was tabled by leader of opposition Advocate Syed Zahir.

Through the same resolution, the council demanded of both the governments to ensure hygiene practices and cleanliness at hotels and food outlets.

Speaking on a point of order, JI councillor Khalid Waqas expressed concerns over delay in convening meeting of the council. He said that people were facing problems so the council should meet for three days each month.

He came down hard on education department for ignoring educational institutions in Chamkani area. He said that provincial government approved construction of a middle school in Chamkani area but only boundary wall of the school could be constructed in three years.

Mr Waqas said that another primary school for girls had been functioning in a rented building for the last few decades but provincial government failed to construct building for the school. Other councillors of the treasury and opposition benches also highlighted the problems being faced by people in their areas. The chair adjourned the session till Wednesday.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2018