Chairmen of tehsil, village, and neighbourhood councils from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa staged a protest outside the provincial assembly on Monday, demanding an extension of their tenure, release of development funds, and greater empowerment of local government institutions. The demonstration, organised under the Local Council Association (LCA), blocked Khyber Road for three hours, causing significant traffic disruption in Peshawar.
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LCA president Himayatullah Mayar said the four-year tenure of the two-tier local government system is set to end in March, yet the provincial government has not released funds for grassroots development. He accused the PTI-led provincial government of repeatedly weakening local bodies by amending the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act, 2013, leaving representatives without legitimate powers.
Mayar warned that if their demands were not addressed by January 9, they would stage another protest on January 14. He urged local councils to hold meetings with community members to raise awareness about the deprivation of development funds and powers.
Speaking to protesters, ANP provincial president Mian Iftikhar Hussain criticised both federal and provincial governments for resisting a strong local government system, stressing its importance for democratic stability and effective service delivery. He highlighted that past authoritarian regimes had deliberately weakened local governments while marginalising political parties, a legacy that continues today.
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Hussain also criticised the provincial government for ignoring court verdicts on devolving powers to the grassroots. He argued that without autonomous local governments, both provincial and federal administrations cannot function effectively. The ANP leader called on all political parties to respect local governments, grant them constitutional powers, and ensure fresh elections are held before the current tenure expires.
The protest saw participation from senior local leaders and political figures, including ANP and Jamaat-i-Islami representatives, emphasising broad support for strengthening grassroots democracy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.