DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Local Government Employees Federation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has expressed concern over delays in payment of salaries and pensions to local council employees and pensioners, alleging administrative mismanagement and financial irregularities in local government institutions.

In a statement issued on Friday, the federation’s office-bearers alleged that the appointment of “incompetent and irrelevant individuals” in the Local Council Board and local councils had weakened the functioning of municipal institutions and pushed them towards financial crisis.

The federation claimed that junior and allegedly unqualified officials had been posted to senior positions, while no practical measures were being taken to strengthen local council finances or to address the problems of employees and pensioners.

According to the statement, local government employees and pensioners had been facing severe financial hardship for the past several years due to repeated delays in payment of salaries and pensions.

The federation alleged that many Muslim employees were forced to spend Ramazan and Eidul Fitr without receiving salaries, while Christian employees and pensioners were also deprived of celebrating Easter because of financial difficulties. It warned that Eidul Azha was also approaching amid uncertainty regarding payments.

The statement criticised officials of the Local Council Board and the finance department, alleging that insufficient grants were released after months of delay, worsening the difficulties faced by employees.

The federation further stated that issues linked to the Account-IV system and shortage of funds had made the situation unbearable for workers and pensioners, many of whom were struggling to meet basic household expenses.

It demanded that the provincial government, finance department, law department and local government authorities devise a permanent mechanism to ensure timely payment of salaries and pensions on the first day of every month.

The federation warned that if the issue was not resolved immediately, employees would be compelled to launch agitation.

Meanwhile, a local social welfare organisation, the Dera Welfare Forum, expressed concern over the situation and urged the provincial government to address the financial difficulties faced by municipal workers.

Speaking to reporters, the forum representative Muhammad Usman Ghani said delays in salaries and pensions were directly affecting low-income families, particularly ahead of Eidul Azha.

“Many employees are unable to purchase basic food items or meet educational and medical expenses of their children. The government must treat this as an humanitarian issue rather than merely an administrative matter,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2026