Delays in MNA development funds hamper Karachi's uplift projects

The lawmakers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its coalition partner in the Centre, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), elected on Karachi's seats in the National Assembly find themselves financially handicapped and unable to follow through any development work as they await the release of MNA development funds, which has been deferred for the past two fiscal years.

As a result, development initiatives in their constituencies face delays. While some of them reportedly try to work their way around the snag, water supply, repair of roads, restoration of parks and other similar projects remain in limbo.

Confirming this, PTI MNA Aslam Khan, who has been elected from NA-254, told The Express Tribune, "Since the PTI came into power, MNA development funds have been issued for just one year, the fiscal year 2018-19." He claimed those funds had been utilised for uplift work, including improving the sewerage system, supply of potable water and repairing road infrastructure.

He added, however, that no funds were issued for fiscal years 2019-20 and 2020-21. "The work on projects approved for the past two years will only be started after the funds are released."

Another PTI MNA, Abdul Shakoor Shad, who has been elected from a constituency in Lyari, said the development work had been hampered due to delays in the release of funds. "[But] we have approached the federal government and expect the problem to be addressed soon."

Federal minister Aminul Haque, elected on a Karachi seat, said the Centre had been apprised of the delay in the release of MNA development funds and the MQM-P, for its part, had approached Prime Minister Imran Khan on the issue.

He said they had been told that Rs150 million was to be issued for each constituency in the coming month for following through with development initiatives, planned in consultation with MNAs and the public and to be carried out by the Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak-PWD).

According to sources in the federal government, funds for these constituencies will be released during the current month or by the next month.

However, sources in the PTI, on the condition of anonymity, revealed to The Express Tribune that the party's leadership had told the MNAs from Karachi they would have to wait longer for the funds' release.

"Given the delays in development work, the MNAs are now hesitant to face voters," the sources claimed.

The PTI-led federal government had allocated Rs150 million for each MNA in Karachi under the MNA development fund for the fiscal year 2018-19. These funds, however, were not released to the MNAs directly. The government issued the funds to the Ministry of Housing and Work's subsidiary Pak-PWD, via which the MNAs commenced development activities in their respective constituencies. After the release of funds, tenders will be issued for these schemes, following which their execution will start.

As per the MNAs, they had even prepared plans for development initiatives that were to be carried out in the current and previous years, but were now facing delays due to the lack of funds. Some among them even went ahead with submitting proposals for uplift projects to the Pak-PWD, they said.

According to Khan, the amount that was to be released for the constituency of each MNA in Karachi for the past two years adds up to Rs300 million.

"When released, this amount will help resolve a myriad of issues," he said, claiming that 90 per cent of the work on projects initiated after the release of funds for the fiscal 2018-19 had been completed.

Karachi has 21 seats in the National Assembly and following the 2018 general elections, the PTI won 14 of them, while the MQM-P holds four and the Pakistan Peoples Party three.

The three PPP MNAs have not been issued funds for the last two fiscal years, with lawmaker Abdul Qadir Patel complained of "differential treatment" by the federal government.

"PPP MNAs are also public representatives and have been facing difficulties in resolving issues in their constituencies," he said, adding that they had approached the courts and had hopes of being given justice. "When the PTI-led federal government has not been able to release funds to its own MNAs, how will it finance the Karachi package?"

It is pertinent to note here that MNA development funds are issued separately and have no connection with the new Rs1.1 trillion Karachi Transformation Plan.