The four-year constitutional tenure of local government institutions in Shangla has officially ended, bringing the term of 633 elected representatives to a close amid criticism that chronic funding shortages rendered grassroots governance largely ineffective.
With the expiry of the local bodies’ mandate, all elected representatives including five tehsil chairmen and members of 105 village councils have vacated office, leaving behind a mixed legacy dominated by complaints of financial neglect and stalled development.
Breakdown of Elected Representatives
Official figures show that those completing their tenure include 105 village council chairmen, 210 general councillors, 105 peasant councillors, 105 women councillors, 105 youth councillors and two minority representatives. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerged as the dominant political force in the local government elections, securing the majority of seats across the district and winning three of the five tehsil governments. PTI-backed chairmen included Waqar Ahmad Khan in Alpurai, Haji Abdul Maula in Puran and Haji Syed Idur Rehman in Bisham.
The remaining two tehsils were won by opposition parties, with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) securing Chakesar and the Awami National Party (ANP) taking Martung.
Funding Shortages Paralyzed Development
Despite their numerical strength, elected representatives say they were unable to fulfil their mandate because local governments were deprived of adequate development funds throughout most of their tenure. Former councillors said residents regularly approached them to address longstanding issues such as roads, drinking water, sanitation, education and healthcare, but the absence of financial resources left them unable to meet public expectations.
According to local representatives, limited development funds were released only during the final phase of the four-year term and were insufficient to clear the accumulated backlog of projects. “Whatever funds were released in the last year were merely a drop in the ocean,” a former councillor said, echoing a sentiment widely shared among outgoing representatives. As a result, numerous infrastructure schemes, community welfare projects and public service initiatives either remained incomplete or never moved beyond the planning stage.
Political and Public Reaction
Political analysts argue that the experience has exposed fundamental weaknesses in the province’s local government framework. They contend that decentralised governance cannot succeed unless elected councils are backed by financial autonomy, timely development allocations and effective administrative support. Residents across Shangla have also voiced disappointment over the slow pace of development, noting that many civic problems remain unresolved despite four years of elected local governance.
With all local representatives now out of office, attention has shifted to the future of grassroots administration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Observers say any new local government system must be accompanied by a credible mechanism for financial empowerment if it is to deliver meaningful services and restore public confidence in local democracy.
