Local Government Representatives Demand Stakeholder Consultation Before Amendments to KP Local Government Law
Mansehra: Elected local government representatives in Tehsil Balakot, Mansehra, have urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government to consult all stakeholders, including elected local representatives, before making any amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act, 2013 ahead of the next local government elections.
The demand was made during a meeting marking the completion of the four-year term of the Balakot Tehsil Council, where Chairman Ibrahim Shah said the recently concluded local government system in Hazara Division had been one of the weakest in the province’s history due to the lack of administrative authority and development funds for elected representatives.
He stated that although the law provided for local governments to exercise significant powers, those powers were not effectively transferred, preventing council members from delivering on their commitments to the public.
Ibrahim Shah said he had secured more than 53,000 votes in the local government elections with the objective of serving the people of Balakot, but the absence of adequate financial resources and administrative powers made it difficult to meet public expectations.
Council members also criticized both elected and caretaker provincial governments, alleging that neither had taken meaningful steps to strengthen local government institutions during the past four years.
The Chairman noted that chairpersons of Village and Neighbourhood Councils from different political parties remained united throughout their tenure in advocating for a stronger and more effective local government system.
The council called on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government to hold local government elections at the earliest and introduce a governance framework that provides elected local bodies with adequate powers, financial resources, and institutional autonomy to effectively serve their communities.
