DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Elected local government representatives, under the banner of the Local Councils Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, staged a protest in Peshawar against the deprivation of powers and resources.
Awami National Party (ANP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Mian Iftikhar Hussain and General Secretary Hussain Shah Yousafzai participated in the protest, expressing full solidarity with the elected local representatives.
Addressing the gathering, Mian Iftikhar Hussain emphasized that the ANP has always advocated for strong and independent local governments, arguing that without them, democracy cannot flourish, nor can public issues be effectively addressed.
He criticized political governments for not empowering local governments, tracing the root of the issue to the era of General Zia-ul-Haq when a strategy of weakening political parties and strengthening local governments was put in place to ensure control.
Hussain pointed out that the provincial government is unwilling to implement court decisions granting powers to local governments, and raised concerns over the delay in holding new local government elections. He argued that the provincial government aims to turn local governments into puppets, which he described as unjust and undemocratic.
The ANP leader reiterated the party’s support for a strong local government system, calling on the provincial government to respect court decisions and grant local governments their due powers. He concluded by asserting that both the central and provincial governments prefer to control local governments, a situation that he said is unacceptable.
A large number of chairmen, councilors, and local government representatives from across the province, including ANP-elected Mayor of Mardan Himayatullah Mayar, Tehsil Munda Chairman Inayatullah Khan, and Tehsil Razar Chairman Malik Ghulam Haqqani, took part in the protest.
