Peshawar – The four-day sit-in by local government representatives in the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa concluded on a positive note after successful negotiations with provincial officials.
Provincial Minister Faisal Turki and Local Government Minister Arshad Ayub, along with committee members, engaged in discussions with the protesting representatives, leading to a resolution.
Following the talks, Minister Arshad Ayub stated, “The demands of the local representatives regarding funding and other issues are legitimate, and we are committed to addressing them. Approval for granting their powers will be sought from the cabinet.”
He assured that the representatives’ demands would be fulfilled within 20 days and announced a meeting with Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur next week to further address their concerns.
“We are reviewing legal complexities and, in consultation with the representatives, will amend the Local Government Act. Work on the act has been ongoing for the past 10 months, but delays occurred due to the complexities of the system,” Ayub explained.
Condemning the use of tear gas during the protests, the minister said such actions by the police should not have happened.
On the protesters’ side, Mardan Mayor Himayatullah Mayar expressed satisfaction with the outcome. “The negotiations have been successful, and we announce the end of our protest. We thank the Chief Minister and committee members for their cooperation.”
He added that discussions covered issues such as rules of business, funds, and powers, with a 20-day timeframe agreed upon for resolution. “If the problems remain unresolved, we will decide on further action,” he warned.
The sit-in was triggered by the provincial government’s failure to provide funds and fulfill the representatives’ demands, leading to protests in Peshawar’s Red Zone, where police resorted to tear gas.
This was not the first protest; in November of last year, local representatives had staged demonstrations over similar grievances, citing a lack of funds and authority hindering developmental work at the grassroots level.
The government eventually resolved the issue, with the Chief Minister directing the release of PKR 500,000 each to Union Council and neighborhood representatives.
