The outgoing Mayor Peshawar, Haji Zubair Ali, has said that since the announcement of results of the elections of the local bodies, the PTI-led provincial government has deprived the elected representatives of the local government of their powers and funds in every way.
However, despite these hurdles, as a mayor, he has carried out record development work and ensured the welfare and service of the people.
He expressed these views while addressing the farewell Iftar dinner hosted by him and former Governor KP Haji Ghulam Ali, the other day
The former mayor said that he will forgive those officers who created problems during this period due to pressure from the provincial government and its ministers, but will never forgive those who deliberately acted hypocritically and wasted the time of the people of the city, including local government representatives.
The farewell ceremony was attended by hundreds of Neighborhood and Village Council chairmen, councilors, women councilors, minority members and local government officers.
The participants paid tribute to the efforts of former Mayor Peshawar Haji Zubair Ali and expressed regret over the fact that the provincial government treated the elected local government representatives of the entire province, especially Peshawar, like a stepmother.
Former Governor Haji Ghulam Ali also praised the elected local government representatives, including the former mayor, for their performance despite the problems and difficulties, and criticized the provincial government.
Former Mayor Peshawar, Haji Zubair Ali, said that he had tirelessly worked for the development and service of the district. But the real time spent in public service was when there was a caretaker government in the province, in which they had carried out record work for public welfare and service.
During that period, more than 650 solarization schemes, 12 funeral homes and 22 primary, middle and secondary boys and girls’ schools were built in Peshawar. 16 kilometers gas pipelines were laid in the provincial assembly constituency PK-83, while 4 kilometers of pipelines were laid in all other neighborhood and village councils.
Electricity transformers were installed in each neighborhood and village council, construction and renovation of roads and streets were completed, and more than 75,000 youth across the city were provided with free sports equipment. All these projects and efforts were carried out independently, outside the local government system.
He said that the provincial government has accorded stepmother treatment by creating hurdles in their path through bringing amendments in the Local Government Act and other means. He said that after winning, they went beyond party affiliation and strengthened the attitude of working by taking every elected chairman, mayor and councilor along.
The former mayor said that in the upcoming local government elections, the people of Peshawar city and the province will hold accountable those elements through their votes who have weakened the local government system and tried their best to shut down public services.
Addressing the function, former Governor Haji Ghulam Ali also congratulated former Mayor Peshawar Haji Zubair Ali and other local government representatives for serving the people despite all the challenges and hardships, saying this was the continuation of the same service that they carried out to the people of Peshawar during their time as District Nazim.
All the participants in the ceremony were also awarded certificates of appreciation for their services.