PESHAWAR: The opposition members on Wednesday walked out of the Peshawar district council’s budget session accusing the provincial government of denying due development funds to local governments.

They insisted that under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act, 2013, the provincial government was bound to transfer 30 per cent of the provincial annual development programme funds to the local governments.

The protesters however said the provincial government in the previous three years released less than 50 per cent of the share to the local governments.

Criticises local govt over meagre uplift allocations

The councilors of the Awami National Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz gathered in the middle of the hall and shouted slogans against the provincial government.

“Cut on the council fund is rejected. The provincial government should immediately announce a special developmental package for Peshawar,” read a banner put up by the councilors of the opposition parties.

They were also supported by some treasury members. After protesting the funds’ denial inside the hall, they walked out.

The protest was led by opposition leader Syed Zahir Advocate.

The protesters however returned on the request of some colleagues.

Initiating debate on the budget, the opposition leader rejected the development budget for Peshawar, saying Rs700 million development funds was a very little.

He said district nazim Mohammad Asim Khan and naib nazim Qasim Ali Shah had got discretionary funds worth Rs20 million and Rs1.5 million respectively despite the ruling PTI claims of ending such funds.

The opposition leader said the provincial government had been curtailing funds of local governments for three years in violation of the law.

He demanded of the provincial government to stop that violation of the law and release due share in funds to the local governments.

ANP member Alamzeb Yousafzai said councilors weren’t respected by the officials of the devolved departments though the former passed budget for the latter.

He said instead of being granted promotion, such employees should be demoted.

“The employees of devolved department should be made accountable as they are not performing well,” he said.

Rahamdil Nawaz of the PML-N said the crime rate was growing in the district, especially at night, to the misery of the residents.

He said several groups of robbers were active in Peshawar.

On a point of order, councillor Azhar Khan drew the house’s attention towards the unavailability of clean drinking water in the district.

“The poor residents of the capital city have been forced to drink contaminated water, which renders them vulnerable to diseases,” he said.

Councillor Hadia Samad accused the district government for discriminating against women members during the allocation of development funds.

She said every male councillor would get Rs3.5 million, while only Rs1 million would be given away to every woman councillor elected on reserved seat.

Another woman councilor, Rifat Aziz, said the role of female members of the house shouldn’t be restricted to the distribution of sewing machines and wheelchairs to the people.

She demanded full participation of women in the local government system.

Council convener Qasim Ali Shah adjourned the session until Thursday (today).

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2018