MUZAFFARABAD:The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Friday urged local government (LG) representatives to call off their planned protest, asserting that consensus-based amendments to the relevant law had already been approved to address issues concerning LG institutions.

The appeal was made by four cabinet members-Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (LG&RD) Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Mian Abdul Waheed, Minister for Wildlife Sardar Javed Ayoub, and Minister for Hydropower Generation Chaudhry Mohammad Rasheed at a press conference held a day before a scheduled `convention` of LG representatives from Muzaffarabad division at Burhan Wani Chowk.

`Local government representatives are not only part of the government but also its strength.

Empowering LG institutions and ensuring the provision of funds remain among our top priorities,` asserted Mr Rathore.

He recalled that the present government had established a broad-based committee to strengthen LG institutions.

Based on the unanimous recommendations of this committeewhich included representatives from LG institutions-the cabinet had approved amendments to theLocal Government Act,1990in its session on January 30.

`The amended act has been sent to the Legislative Assembly for approval, leaving no justification for any protest now,` he asserted.

However, Muzaffarabad`s Mayor Sikandar Gillani dismissed the government`s assurances as mere `rhetoric` `The fact remains that the government is not serious about empowering local bodies for obviousreasons.Thishasforced us to gather and decide ournext course of action, which will be announced at Saturday`s convention,` he said.

He informed that similar conventions had already been held by LG representatives from Mirpur and Poonch divisions at their respective headquarters on Feb 6 and 10.

However, the decision regardingthenextcourse ofactionhad been postponed until Muzaffarabad`s convention.

Mr Rathore regretted that every time the government initiated or planned a reform, protests were staged to create the impression that changes were being forced rather than taken as government policy.

Despite financial difficulties last fiscal year, he said, the government had provided LG representatives withRs 810 millionin development funds, and an additionalRs 1 billionwould soon be disbursed. Mr Rathore,who is also theregional secretary-general of the Pakistan People`s Party (PPP), recalled that when LG elections were held in2022, his party was in opposition.

`Even then, our stance was that amendments should be made to the Local Government Act before conducting elections to prevent future complications,` he said.

`Now that elections have taken place, the government is strengthening the system through amendments, which will soon come into effect,` he added.

Responding to a question, he said the amendments included theestablishment of a Finance Commissionto regulate the mechanism for fund allocation to LG institutions.

Mr Rathore asserted that, despite challenging circumstances, the government had ensured the provision of subsidized electricity and wheat while maintaining the pace of development.

`There is no valid reason left for protests against the government,` he said.

Echoing his views, Mr Ayoub said improving the system was a collective responsibilityand LG representatives should wait for the enactment of the amended law.

He credited the prime minister`s `efficient financial management` for enabling the government to fund LG representatives while continuing development projects. Tariq Naqash