ECP freezes funds for uplift projects

Following the release of the election schedule, all development funds have been frozen in the Rawalpindi district.

According to sources, a comprehensive ban has been enforced on the initiation of any new development schemes, regardless of their scale. Concurrently, immediate, temporary contract recruitments and transfers of appointments in government, semi-government, and independent institutions have been halted.

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The prohibition extends to a total of 317 district councils, metropolitan and municipal committees, annual development programmes, and development institutions’ schemes, all suspended for two months. The ban on inaugurating new schemes has been extended to caretaker ministers, deputy commissioners, returning officers, and officers of institutions.

This restriction is set to last until February 15. Elected members of cantonment boards are also barred from engaging in development schemes, with a prohibition on utilising their development funds.

In addition to these measures, new projects under the ADP have been abruptly terminated.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2023.