PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s northwestern Peshawar district has been divided into 206 village and 128 neighbourhood councils as preparations are underway for the local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to relevant officials.
The voters of those newly created village and neighbourhood councils would elect more than 4,000 representatives in Peshawar only, officials at the deputy commissioner office said.
They said that data from other districts of the province was not collected so far by the local government and rural development department.
Officials said that the residents of rural areas, which had been divided into 206 village councils, would elect 1,375 members on general seats and 1,030 on reserved seats including 412 women and 206 each pheasant workers, youths and minorities.
Similarly, the dwellers of the urban areas that had been divided into 128 neighbourhood councils would elect 1,072 members on general seats and 640 on reserved seats including 256 women and 128 each pheasant workers, youths and minorities, they said.
Each village and neighbourhood council was consisted of 2,000 to 10,000 residents, said Faizullah Khan, assistant director of local government and rural development department.
He said that minimum number of general seats in each village and neighbourhood council was five, however, it was increased up to 10 according to the population of the area. Khan said that each village and neighbourhood council had five reserved seats including two for women and on each for pheasants, youths and minorities.
Asked about the criteria under which the number of general seats was increased, Khan said that besides basic five general seats, the onward increase was made proportionate to the population of the area. With increase in population, the number of general seats was also raised, he said.
The number of the general seats is not the same in all village and neighbourhood councils because of difference in their population. According to the criteria, an additional general seat has been added to the basic five seats with increase of 1,600 residents in population of an area.
“Most of the work in the creation of village and neighbourhood councils has been done by the secretaries of the former union councils while the revenue officers have also helped them,” said a secretary.
Sources said that the residents of the newly created village and neighbourhood councils had submitted around 25 proposals with the deputy commissioner, who worked as district delimitation officer. The last date for submission of proposals and objections was December 22, they said.
According to schedule, the delimitation officer will hear and consider the proposals and objections to amend, alter and modify the preliminary published lists yesterday.
The residents, if not satisfied with the response of delimitation officer could approach the Divisional Appellate Authority (DAA) headed by divisional commissioners within 10 days, they said.Internews
