Penalising a ‘turncoat’: Govt directed to release funds for Shangla

Approval for ongoing projects was withdrawn after Amir Muqam left PML-Q.

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday directed the federal government to release development funds for a constituency in Shangla. The decision came after its elected legislator contended he was penalised for refusing to join the ruling coalition in the centre.

Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan disposed off the MNA’s petition after issuing the order.

In April, Amir Muqam, a legislator of Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) from Shangla in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, had challenged the federal government’s decision to freeze funds for on-going projects in his constituency. He had contended before a high court that he was being victimised for switching parties.

The petitioner’s counsel, Athar Minallah, maintained that constituents were being victimised because their elected representative, Amir Muqam, had joined PML-N after his former party, Pakistan Muslim League - Quaid (PML-Q), shored up the ruling coalition in the centre.

Muqam was elected from NA-31 on PML-Q’s ticket in the 2008 elections. After the government was formed, his party decided to sit in the opposition. The counsel contended that when the PML-Q decided to join the government in 2011, it resulted in a rift between his client and the party.

“My client was pressurised and threatened with suspension and revocation of development funds, which were approved by the Prime Minister (PM) as in the case of all members of national and provincial assemblies,” the counsel had maintained. He had prayed to the court to declare the letter freezing his client’s development funds null and void. He had also requested the court to direct the respondents, which included federal secretaries and the chiefs of public utilities to expeditiously complete the work.

Earlier, in November, 2011, the PM secretariat had sent a letter informing Muqam that approval for schemes in his constituency had been withdrawn, and in March this year, the federal government through a letter froze development funds allocated for Shangla.

The court had granted a stay order after issuing notices to the additional secretary Prime Minister Secretariat, secretary Cabinet Division, secretary Planning and Development Division, secretary Ministry of Housing and Works, director general Public Works Department and chief executive officer Peshawar Electricity Supply Company.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2012.