Peshawar women councillors complain of insufficient funds

PESHAWAR: The women members of the Peshawar District Council here on Tuesday complained they were not receiving enough funds to undertake uplift projects and work for the welfare of the poor women.

Talking to The News they enlisted the problems which, they believed, were impeding the smooth functioning of the local government system and called for improvement in the situation for the greater benefits of the people.

The women councillors said they were not being given equal opportunities but expressed the determination to continue efforts for resolving the issues faced by masses, especially women. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) District Councillor Gul Nasreen said she was keen on working for the welfare of the women. But complained that women councillors received fewer funds than male members.

She added that the local government system was not functioning properly as they were not getting funds to spend the money as per the needs of the local people.

The councillor from the ruling party said giving sewing machines to the women was not sufficient. “Vocational centres and training institutes should be established to impart skills to the women,” she elaborated.

Gul Nasreen added that the district council had passed a bill to give honoraria to members but they were yet to get any.

Hussan Bano of the PTI said they wanted to solve the problems of the local communities but the lacking of funds prevented them from doing so.

Zohra Durrani of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) complained and said she had not received funds for 2016-17. She alleged the district nazim subjected her party to step-motherly treatment.

Nadia Amjad of the JUI-F said being a district member she faced a host of problems. She said the local government had not released funds to her in the last two years, alleging she was targeted as she was affiliated to JUI-F.

Awami National Party (ANP) district member Mehreen Kamran said she would like to take up the issues facing the women.

She said she wanted to make education and health facilities available to the women. The district member suggested that a mobile hospital should be set up to facilitate the women patients.

Mehreen Kamran proposed the establishment of vocational centres for the unemployed youth.

Saleema Akram from the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) seemed satisfied with the local government system.

She said she had received funds and worked for the local people. She, however, said women councillors should be given equal funds.

Another PML-N councillor, Hadia Samad, said the local government should stake steps for providing education and skills to the women and youth.