Inayatullah Khan Stresses Importance of Strong Local Government
Upper Dir – Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial minister Inayatullah Khan has stressed the need for a strong and empowered local government system, calling it essential for sustainable development, transparent governance, and effective public service delivery in the country.
He was addressing a farewell ceremony held in honor of Tehsil Chairman Rafiullah Khan at the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) office in Upper Dir.
Inayatullah Khan argued that lasting solutions to public issues could only be achieved through the devolution of administrative and financial authority to elected local representatives. He noted that local governments in developed countries enjoy extensive powers, enabling them to respond more effectively to public needs. Citing international examples, he mentioned that cities such as New York operate with budgets larger than those of several countries, underscoring the importance of strong local governance structures.
The former minister maintained that issues such as corruption control, sanitation, access to clean drinking water, maintenance of public parks, and other civic services could only be addressed through a genuinely autonomous local government system. He added that elected representatives are better placed to understand and resolve community-level problems.
He further stated that strengthening local governments forms a key part of Jamaat-e-Islami’s “Badal Do Nizam” (Change the System) campaign, calling for constitutional and legal reforms to ensure greater autonomy for local institutions and improved accountability of the bureaucracy to elected representatives.
Referring to his time in office, Inayatullah Khan claimed that local governments had been allocated development funds worth Rs18 billion. He also alleged that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government had weakened the local government system and failed to provide adequate financial support to elected representatives. PTI has not yet responded to the allegations.
He further stated that proposals for relocating Peshawar’s main bus terminal originated during his tenure, adding that planning and initial design work for the Chamkani Bus Terminal and Dir Bus Terminal had already been completed.
Highlighting broader economic concerns, the former minister said the federal government had collected approximately Rs1.7 trillion through the petroleum levy and should pass on the benefit to consumers by reducing fuel prices. He suggested that petrol prices should not exceed Rs250 per litre. He reiterated that decentralization, transparency, and strong local institutions are vital for Pakistan’s political and economic progress.
Several political leaders, including Sahibzada Fasihullah, Mukhtiarullah, PTI’s Imran Saeed, ANP’s Mian Iftikhar Hussain, and the president of the Dir Bar Council, also spoke on the occasion, paying tribute to outgoing Tehsil Chairman Rafiullah Khan for his public service.
In his farewell remarks, Rafiullah Khan alleged that the provincial government had adopted a discriminatory approach towards opposition-backed local representatives by withholding development funds. He said repeated attempts at negotiations with provincial authorities had failed, forcing him to approach the courts for resolution.
Concluding his tenure, Rafiullah Khan formally handed over charge to the TMA administration. As a symbolic gesture, he left behind a portrait of Jamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, an official file, and his spectacles. He said he remained willing to face any public accountability regarding his performance in office.
