MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): Local representatives held a meeting ahead of the 15th February Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), convention to mobilise support for the restoration of local government powers through Act 2025.
Ahead of the 15th February Muzaffarabad convention for the Tehreek Bahali Baldiati Ikhtiyarat, translated to Movement for the Restoration of Local Government Powers, a key meeting was held in Jhelum Valley where members from Union Councils Chakothi, Khalana, and Pahal gathered to discuss their participation in the upcoming convention.
The meeting was attended by prominent local representatives, including Tayyab Manzoor Kayani, Chairman of the Jhelum Valley District Council; Sajawal Khan, Chairman of the Hatian Bala Municipal Committee; Ghulam Fareed Mughal, District Council Member; Sheikh Mumtaz Hussain, Vice Chairman of the Municipal Committee; Syed Jawad Hussain Hamdani, Councillor of UC Sehnan Daman; and other key officials from the movement’s central coordination committee.
Additionally, several local chairmen, vice chairmen, councillors, and youth representatives participated, including Shabbir Mughal, the Chairman of UC Chakothi, Waseem Abbasi, the Chairman of UC Pahal, Chaudhry Iqbal, Chaudhry Muhammad Arif, Muhammad Shafiq Sheikh, Nazeer Hussain Mughal, Gulzareen, Abdul Rasheed, Mushtaq Awan, Shahid Abbasi, Syed Asad Kazmi, as well as former district council candidates Raja Atif and Raja Tanveer.
During the meeting, participants affirmed their commitment to attending the 15th February convention in large numbers to press for their demands.
District Council Chairman Tayyab Manzoor Kayani, while addressing the members, highlighted the movement’s demands. He stated that local government representatives had given the AJK government two years to address their concerns but with little progress. “There is still time for the government to accept our demands. We seek the approval of Act 2025 from the Assembly, ensuring the full restoration of local government powers. As elected representatives of the people, we are above political affiliations and are solely focused on reviving the local governance system, which will ultimately benefit the public,” he said.
The participants reaffirmed their dedication to the cause, highlighting the fact that they form the foundation of political parties and are essential to the success of public events. “We have gained respect and recognition in our communities thanks to the local government system. Its success is our success because of this,” they said.
The forthcoming convention in Muzaffarabad is anticipated to be a major occasion, representing a pivotal point in the fight for the restoration of local government authority in AJK, thanks to robust grassroots mobilisation.
