Peshawar (Naimat Ullah): Mayor of Peshawar, Haji Zubair Ali, has strongly condemned the shelling and baton charge on local government representatives, terming it a regrettable act. He stated that these representatives were peacefully protesting in accordance with democratic norms for the legitimate rights of the public, which is their constitutional right.
Criticizing the provincial government, he accused them of leaving no stone unturned in weakening the local governance system and creating challenges for its representatives on a regular basis.
He noted that for several days, local government representatives from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been staging peaceful demonstrations in Peshawar to demand their legitimate rights and fight for the public’s interests. However, the provincial government has neither addressed their grievances nor made efforts to resolve their issues.
The situation escalated when the representatives attempted to march towards the Chief Minister’s House in protest, prompting the provincial authorities to resort to intense baton charges and tear gas shelling. Mayor Zubair Ali condemned this action in the strongest terms, calling it unjustifiable and undemocratic.
He further stated that just as the provincial government protests in Islamabad for its own rights, it should show the same respect for the public mandate within the province and ensure the local representatives are granted their due rights.
