Provinces seek 'rightful share' in funds

ISLAMABAD:

The provincial governments of Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Monday heaped complaints on the federal government, demanding the release of "rightful share" in funds.

“We are faced with financial problems, [and] despite having repeatedly complained, they have not been resolved,” K-P Chief Minister (CM) Mahmood Khan lamented while addressing a joint news conference along with officials from Punjab, K-P and AJK here.

“A budget of Rs1.3 trillion has been allotted to K-P,” he said, adding that the large budget had been granted on the “instruction” of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief and former premier Imran Khan.

Unfortunately, the CM said, they could not acquire that amount, accusing the federal government of Shehbaz Sharif of trying to “put our backs against the wall”.

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The K-P CM said he was raising his voice for his people, stressing: “This is our right, we are not begging you [Centre]”.

During the news conference, it was also claimed that funds intended for the uplift of erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas region were also not released. “How can we progress if we do not get the funds?” the CM questioned. “All the PSDP (Public Sector Development Programme) projects have been washed out.

“The centre owes Rs61 billion in arrears to the NHP while it owes us [K-P] Rs189 billion.”

Mahmood threatened, “We will protest outside the National Assembly if we are not given our rights. We will bring everyone from K-P and protest.”

The CM revealed that the opposition in the provincial assembly had also been asked to “prepare”.

G-B CM Khalid Khurshid Khan also chimed in complaining that “our block allocation was Rs18 billion while our government’s portfolio went up to Rs48 billion”.

“G-B’s budget was reduced from Rs40 billion to Rs 25 billion,” he said, bemoaning the display of “animosity” on part of the PDM-led federal government.

“It has been six months today, and only Rs2.8 billion of the ADP (Annual Development Plan) has been released,” Khurshid Khan added, questioning how the Centre expected them to continue running things when “every day we are being faced by natural calamities”.

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“Skardu city faces load-shedding of 21 to 22 hours,” he added. “How should we meet the electricity and wheat shortfall?”

The CM said, “Rs3 billion was announced for flood relief, but the list I saw did not even mention G-B’s name. They had said Rs40 billion would be granted [but instead] we have witnessed protests in 40 different locations across the region.”

He said, “We are going to protest with the people.”

Punjab Finance Minister Mohsin Leghari said that “Rs167.4 billion belong to Punjab which the federal government is not releasing”.

“Announcements were made but not a single rupee was given to Punjab for flood relief.”

Decrying discriminatory policies of the Centre, he said, “Imran Khan gave Rs14 billion after raising funds through a telethon.

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“Our brothers in Sindh and Balochistan suffered from the floods but the floods also spread devastation across K-P and G-B.”

The minister regretted that there was “very little cooperation” between the provinces and the federal government, especially on the financial front.

AJK Finance Minister Abdul Majid Khan informed the media that “as soon as they [the incumbent government] came to power, they targeted Kashmir”.

“They had said that they will improve the economy when they take office,” he said, expressing disappointment. “They will have to give us our share at all costs.”

He said, “Imran Khan was the first one to start the health card project for the people living along the Line of Control. They [the present federal government] finished it the minute they got power. They can give Rs70 billion to Nullah Lai but don’t have Rs26 billion for Kashmir.”

The finance minister also credited the PTI government for ensuring peaceful local body elections in AJK as he told reporters that “we had only asked for police from the Centre for the elections and even that was not granted”.