Breach of autonomy: Raisani scorns move to review PSDP

Balochistan CM says his govt will launch protest against Senate Standing Committee on Finance’s review.

QUETTA:

Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani has declared a Senate body’s decision to review Balochistan’s Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) “contradictory to the Constitution and an open violation of provincial autonomy”.

The Senate Standing Committee on Finance has called for a review of Balochistan’s PSDP from 2002 to 2012-13, which is scheduled to take place from December 3 to 5 at a convention in Islamabad. The Balochistan chief minister and other provincial officers have been summoned to the convention in this regard.

However, in a statement issued on Thursday, Raisani said the move by the Senate committee was tantamount to intervention in provincial affairs, adding that it is not tolerable at any cost.

He also made it clear that no officer would attend the convention without his permission.

The chief minister said that PSDP funds were spent for the development of the masses, adding that the approval of the PSDP was given by the elected assembly in its legal and constitutional right.

“Who has given the Senate Standing Committee the right to review the PSDP of Balochistan?” Raisani questioned, asking whether a similar review was carried out for any other province.

He said that the Balochistan government has taken notice of the move and would protest it strongly.

The chief minister further said that an increase in the provincial budget had been made possible because of the government’s efforts through the NFC, and reiterated that all funds were being utilised for the welfare of the people of Balochistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2012.