By: Sohail Hassan Khan
Elected local government representatives marked December 19 as a “black day” on Friday, commemorating four years since their elections amid ongoing neglect from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government.
These protests, rallies were held on the call of their provincial alliance.
Local government representatives across the province participated in rallies, carrying banners and placards that highlighted their demands and criticised the provincial government for failing to provide necessary funding and support. According to their provincial leadership, rallies took place in Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Khyber, Shangla, Swat, Buner, Swabi, Mansehra, Abbottabad, and merged districts.
During the rallies, local government representatives expressed their frustrations over continual neglect and injustices from the provincial government. They mentioned in their speeches that despite assurances from the previous and current Chief Ministers of the PTI, the government has not fulfilled its commitments to them.
In Shangla, protests were held in various tehsils, including Alpuri, Puran, and Bisham, where demonstrators highlighted the lack of authority for local government officials. Protesters marched from the Pooran Press Club to Tehsil Chowk.
During these protests, Vice Chairman Sher Bahadur Khan, along with Manzoor Khan and Bakht Ali Khan, stated that while the Local Government Act of 2019 was supposed to transfer powers to lower levels, they regretted that the government had provided neither authority nor funds. They lamented their inability to meet the expectations of their constituents, who had voted for them and now demand tangible results.
The representatives declared that if the government does not address their issues and reconsider their demands, they will escalate their protests in front of Parliament soon and initiate a movement in Peshawar in early January.
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