PESHAWAR
In a show of dissent, local government representatives from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa staged a protest at the Provincial Assembly Chowk, Peshawar, demanding the restoration of their powers and the release of pending development funds.
The protest led to the closure of Khyber Road to all types of traffic, causing severe disruptions to the city’s traffic system. Long queues of vehicles formed as commuters were forced to find alternative routes.
The protest, led by Local Council Association President Himayatullah Mayar, Media Coordinator Taimur Kamal, Arshad Shah, and others, saw a large crowd holding placards and banners with their demands. The demonstrators condemned the provincial government for its failure to empower local governments and its alleged abuse of the 45 million people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by paralyzing local authorities.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Taimur Kamal emphasized that local government representatives, including those from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, had faced undue repression. He stated that the provincial government, including Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and former Minister Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur, had resorted to excessive force, including shelling and baton charges, during previous protests. “Our representatives were arrested, and many were seriously injured,” he said.
Kamal also pointed out that despite previous negotiations with the provincial government, which had promised to resolve the issues, none of the commitments had been fulfilled. He criticized the government for not releasing development funds for the past four years, which he called “complete injustice.”
The protesters made several demands, including the implementation of the Peshawar High Court’s decision regarding the Local Government Act, an extension of the tenure of local government representatives, the restoration of their powers, and the release of pending funds.
The protest was temporarily suspended until January 14, with the Local Council Association stating that they would resume their demonstration in front of the Provincial Assembly on the new date. “On January 14, we will raise our voices again with full participation,” they declared.
In a show of solidarity, Awami National Party (ANP) Provincial President Mian Iftikhar Hussain and General Secretary Hussain Shah Yousafzai participated in the protest. Mian Iftikhar Hussain addressed the crowd, stating that his party had always supported strong and independent local governments. He criticized the provincial government for not empowering local bodies and reiterated that the ANP fully backed the legitimate demands of the elected representatives.
Hussain further stated, “Without a strong local government system, neither democracy can be stable nor can public issues be addressed efficiently.” He also criticized both the central and provincial governments for not wanting truly empowered local governments and for preferring to control local bodies. “This is unacceptable,” he added.
