One vote lead: Charsadda district budget passed amid controversy

Opposition says women members of treasury bench were not present

CHARSADDA: The Charsadda district council passed an annual budget of Rs6.19 billion. However, the opposition bench criticised the treasury bench, saying their needs were ignored.

The budget session that was held at Tehsil Municipal Administration Hall was chaired by the district assembly speaker, Musawwir Shah, while Charsadda district nazim Fahad Riaz Azam presented the budget.

Our of the Rs6.19 billion, Rs129 million have been kept for non-salary expenses while Rs5.291 billion have been reserved for salaries and Rs451 million for development schemes under the district government.

However, the opposition benches objected against the budget. Under the leadership of opposition’s Qasim Ali Muhammadzai, who is affiliated with Awami National Party, the opposition members, including those from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, shouted slogans against the treasury bench and tore the budget documents.

Members of the opposition said they were not aware beforehand about the budget session taking place, and many of them were informed a night before.

The opposition also said women of the treasury bench were not present at the session while their votes were cast by their male relatives.

The district nazim, said the opposition, passed the budget with 38 votes while 37 were against it.

Later, the opposition members from ANP and JUI-F organized a meeting at the ANP Charsadda office under the leadership of Ali. They accused the district nazim and naib nazim of corruption in the district funds.

The opposition leader, Ali, said they told the deputy commissioner of the district to take action against corrupt practices. They said if no action is taken they would go to National Accountability Bureau.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2016.