1) An LSO (Local Support Organization), called Pir Khel Development Organization, was formed in Union Council Pir Khel to address issues across the UC and strengthen community development. 2) The event included an oath taking ceremony for the 9-member executive council to formalize their roles and responsibilities. 3) Key guests emphasized the importance of community unity and responsibility in organizing more COs (Community Organizations) and ensuring their sustainable growth.

1. SARHAD RURAL SUPPORT PROGRAMME
LSO “Pir khel
Development
Organization” Formation
at UC Pir Khel
Venue: Pir Khel Khas, UC Pir Khel
Compiled By: Bahar Ali (PMERO Malakand)
12/12/2014

2. LSO Pir Khel Development Organization Formation Report 2/10
Objectives:
Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) is working in seven districts of Malakand
Division, under the European Union (EU) funded; Program for Economic
Advancement and Community Empowerment (PEACE), to reach 2.7 million people
of 100 Union Councils (UCs) of all these seven districts, to establish and strengthen
resilient community organizations, in order to reduce the negative impact of the
economic deprivation, poverty and social inequality in these areas affected by
natural and security crisis.
Community mobilization provides communities with forums to identify and address
important issues of their lives. This process requires the building up of collective
action around a particular case of interest to the communities’ formation.
Introduction:
3 Tiers approach is adopted in social mobilization to organize the people i.e. both
men and women on a platform, at different levels;
1- Community Organization (CO) is formed on Hamlet level; to organize people
on that level in order to address the problems inside their hamlets
2- Village Organization (VO) is formed on village level where COs of a village
are federate in a single organization to give an upper hand to the COs and to
address the issues at village level
3- Local Support Organization (LSO) is formed on Union Council (UC) level to
federate all the VOs of respective villages and solve issues on UC level,
identify needs, devise solutions for those issues and lead the developmental
work at UC level
LSO provides upper hand to all the federating units, i.e. VOs of the UC, to provide
them an upper hand and to tackle the collective issues of UC. LSO importance is far
greater due to the fact that LSO is the nominated forum of whole of the UC and it
provides a platform to the people to ensure growth of that community in the run for
advancement in the modern communities.

3. LSO Pir Khel Development Organization Formation Report 3/10
Agenda of Session
Activity Venue Start
Time
Finish
Time
Session
Duration
Session proceedings
LSO Pir Khel
Development
Organization
Formation
Pir Khel khas,
UC Pir Khel
1130 hours 1300 hours
1 hour and 30
minutes
 Recitation
 Welcome note
 Guests Introduction
 Oath Taking
Ceremony
 Future Plans
 Financial
Sustainability
 Chief Guest Speech
 Words of Thanks
All 27 nominated members (from 9 federating MVOs) of LSO, along with some other
community members were present at the occasion, where PM HID Dr. Usman
Ghani, along with Mr. Zahid Khan (RPM Swat region), Mr. Ijaz Ali (DPM Swat), Mr.
Murad Ali (DPM SRSP Swat), Mr. Shakeel Khan (Regional PMERO), teams from all 4
districts of Swat Region and Mr. Miserocchi Giacomo (Development Advisor, Rural
Development and local governance, European Union Delegation to Pakistan)
arrived.
Ceremony started at 11:30 am.
After recitation of Holy Quran by Qari Ikram Ullah, Mr. Rahman Gul (Stage
secretary and member of LSO) formally welcomed all the guests and participants.
He, then, called Mr. Zahid Khan (RPM Swat Region) to start, proceeding as per
agenda.
Proceedings:
Mr. Zahid Khan (RPM Swat region) thanked all participants on behalf of SRSP. He
had a brief introduction of all guests, to the community. He congratulated all
members of LSO as they had the first LSO out of 100 in EU-PEACE programme. He
also urged staff, participating from other districts of Swat region to replicate the
process of LSO formation in their respective districts and termed that event as
learning for them.
Dr. Usman Ghani was then asked to come to the rostrum and shed light on social
mobilization and human institutions and take oath from the executive council of
LSO. Dr. Usman Ghani congratulated members of LSO on the formation of LSO. He
briefly explained RSP’s approach of 3 tiers organizations at community level. He
emphasized on unity of people for the sustainability and growth of LSO. He told the
community about the importance of local level organizations in the sustainable
development process of the area. He shed light on the importance of an office for the

4. LSO Pir Khel Development Organization Formation Report 4/10
LSO, different committees within the LSO for different tasks and office bearers of the
LSO and their election/selection through consensus. He emphasized on the financial
sustainability of LSO & documentation and record keeping, too. He asked the LSO
members to open a joint account for their LSO. He asked community to remember
the lower tiers of organizations, i.e. VOs and COs, in savings, as well. He presented a
simple formula of savings in all the three tiers, i.e. division of monthly savings in all
the 3 organizations. He asked members of LSO to ensure participation of LSO in all
developmental process within the Union Council and formation of more COs and
federating them into VOs.
All members of the executive council were called to stage and Dr. Usman Ghani
formally administered oath to them. Members of the executive council were as
follows:
1. Haji Zahir Shah Chairman
2. Mr. Sajid Khan Vice Chairman
3. Mr. Rahman Gul Secretary
4. Mr. Abdul Wahid Dy. Secretary
5. Mr. Abdul Aziz Press Secretary
6. Mr. Haleem Shah Joint Secretary
7. Mr. Muhammad Hassan Coordination Secretary
8. Mr. Nek Amal Khan Finance Secretary
9. Mr. Imran Khan Youth Secretary
Haji Zahir Shah (Chairman of LSO; PDO) was then asked to share point of view of
PDO.
He thanked all guests and community. He oriented participants on geography and
demography of UC Pir Khel. He briefed about tribes, land, population & HHs,
resources, poverty status, needs, number of COs & VOs, their membership, savings
and trainings & other interventions of the CBOs at local level. He briefly explained
self help initiatives of the existing CBOs. He shared future plans of LSO and aimed
to work for development of UC in the fields of alleviation of poverty, sustainable
livelihood and peace, infrastructure development, increase education & health
facilities, work for special people, improving agriculture and public health facilities,
forestation and ensure women rights.
He aimed that LSO will establish formal linkages with government entities and
NGOs for the development and prosperity of the Union council.
He briefly introduced general body of Pir Khel Development Organization (PDO), as
under:

5. LSO Pir Khel Development Organization Formation Report 5/10
1) Mr. Syed Muhammad Mosa Member
2) Mr. Fazal Subhan Member
3) Mr. Aziz Ullah Member
4) Mr. Fahim Gul Member
5) Mr. Fazal Qayum Member
6) Mr. M. Riaz Member
7) Mr. Khaista Rahman Member
8) Mr. Buland Iqbal Member
9) Mr. Ihsan Ullah Member
10) Mr. Muhim zad Gul Member
11) Mr. Umar Khaliq Member
12) Mr. Kareem Khan Member
13) Mr. Shams uddin Member
14) Mr. Saleem Khan Member
15) Mr. Jahan-e-Room Member
16) Mr. Hanif Ullah Member
17) Mr. Amir Hatam Member
18) Mr. Shaukat Khan Member
Mr. Nek Amal Khan (Finance Secretary of LSO) briefed participants about plans of
financial sustainability of LSO. He told participants that LSO will charge
membership fees, raise funds from community through monthly savings, utilize
combine natural resources of the area and membership fees from all federating CBOs
to fulfill its financial needs. He also told participants that LSO will to ask elected
representatives, line & donor agencies, for provision of funds, to fulfill its financial
needs for special projects.
Mr. Imran Khan (Youth Secretary of LSO) oriented participants on youth initiatives,
LSO aimed to undertake in future, i.e. engaging youth in Mass awareness campaigns
on health and hygiene, education, agricultural advancement, forestation and
financials sustainability issues. He also aimed on behalf of LSO to arrange special
skills trainings for poor people, including special people.
Mr. Miserocchi Giacomo was called to share his views as chief guest of the
Occasion. He termed community members as the real chief guests. He congratulated
LSO’s members on the occasion. He termed oath taking ceremony as a serious and
responsible occasion for LSO’s executive council in its functioning. He told
participants that they were first organized at their hamlet level, then at village level
and then at UC level which fix a greater responsibility over them. He termed two
things as most important, at the occasion:

6. LSO Pir Khel Development Organization Formation Report 6/10
1) Sense of Unity and ownership
2) Sense of responsibility in formation of more COs and ensuring their
sustainable growth
He also fixed duty of LSO to examine all CBOs within their domain, identify
dormant ones and reactivate them through participatory approach.
A group Picture of executive council of LSO was taken with Mr. Giacomo and the
guests.
Ceremony concluded at 01:00 pm.
Pictorial View
Oath Taking Ceremony

7. LSO Pir Khel Development Organization Formation Report 7/10
Mr. Zahid Khan addressing members of LSO

8. LSO Pir Khel Development Organization Formation Report 8/10
Dr. Usman Ghani Speech at the occasion
Haji Zahir Shah (Chairman) Mr. Imran Khan (Youth Secretary)

9. LSO Pir Khel Development Organization Formation Report 9/10
Miserocchi Giacomo’s Speech

10. LSO Pir Khel Development Organization Formation Report 10/10
Group Photo of Guests with Executive Council of LSO