SHC seeks govt's reply on 'discrimination' in releasing funds

Opposition legislators claim Sindh govt is withholding funds for development schemes

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Thursday the provincial government to file its reply on a petition against alleged discrimination in the release of funds for development schemes in opposition lawmakers' constituencies.

Headed by Justice Munib Akhtar, a two-judge bench directed the provincial law officer to submit the reply by the next date of the hearing, to be later notified by the office.

The judges had taken up a petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League - Functional MPAs Nusrat Sehar Abbasi and Pir Rashid Shah, who moved the court in May this year seeking directives for the government to release funds for development projects to be executed in their respective constituencies. They had named the provincial chief secretary, planning and development department's secretary, chief minister's principal secretary and other provincial authorities as respondents.



The opposition legislators alleged that their constituents were being meted out unjust treatment by the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government in terms of withholding funds for development schemes to be undertaken in their areas, only because of their political affiliation.

Abbasi, elected on a seat reserved for women, and Pir Rashid Shah, an MPA from Khairpur, claimed that the local authorities had approved their uplift projects but the schemes could not be executed due to shortage of funds. They had pleaded to the court to direct the provincial government to release funds for the approved development schemes.

On Thursday, a provincial law officer requested time to file comments on behalf of the provincial government. Allowing request, the judges issued directions that the government's reply should be filed by the next date to be later notified by the office



Other pending petition

A similar petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers against alleged discrimination in the release of funds for uplift schemes is also pending disposal in the court.

The petition was filed by MNA Syed Ayaz Ali Shah Shirazi (NA-238), MPA Syed Aijaz Ali Shah Shirazi (PS-84), MPA Syed Ameer Hyder Shah Shirazi (PS-85) and MPA Syed Shah Hussain Shah Shirazi (PS-86).

In the petition, they submitted that the Sindh chief minister had allocated an amount of Rs40 million for financial year 2013-14 for development schemes to be executed through the lawmakers in their respective constituencies across the province.

While the provincial authorities sent the petitioners a letter on November 18, 2013 seeking their proposals with regard to development schemes, the same were rejected because of political rivalry, they alleged.



The PML-N lawmakers alleged that the ruling party had adopted a biased attitude towards the lawmakers of Thatta and their supporters, as several false and fabricated cases have been registered against them to victimise them.

They further alleged that the lawmakers belonging to the ruling PPP had been awarded funds, whereas they were discriminated against. Thatta is a backward district and needed funds immediately for its infrastructural developments, yet it was deprived of funds, they said.

They pleaded to the court to direct the authorities to submit before it the complete record of uplift funds provided to the lawmakers in the last three to four years. The court was also requested to order the provincial government to release funds for proposed developmental schemes in Thatta.