PESHAWAR (Shahid Jan): A high-level parliamentary committee of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has recommended against extending the tenure of local government representatives, citing a lack of constitutional and legal provisions.
The meeting, chaired by committee convener Nazir Ahmed Abbasi and attended by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati at the Provincial Assembly Secretariat on Tuesday, concluded that since the Constitution of Pakistan and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act 2013 do not provide for the continuation of terms beyond four years, such an extension is legally untenable.
The committee, which was established on March 6 to address local government concerns, featured a wide range of participants, including MPAs Muhammad Sajjad, Akbar Ayub Khan, and Ahmed Kundi, alongside representatives from the Local Councils Association led by Mardan Mayor Himayatullah Khan Mayar.
Members unanimously observed that because local representatives hold a public mandate, any attempt to extend their stay through government amendments would lack legal feasibility.
Furthermore, the committee proposed a comprehensive review of the 2013 Act to revive district councils and make the local government framework more effective. While suggesting either new legislation or significant amendments to the existing law, the committee noted that the provincial government remains empowered to make a final discretionary decision on the matter.
