Inefficiency: G-B lawmakers six months behind development proposals

Planning minister says legislators have a ‘lacklustre’ approach on projects

GILGIT: Six months into 2012, 31 out of 33 Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Legislative Assembly members have yet to submit their proposals for development schemes in their respective constituencies.

Regional Planning Minister Raja Azam said on Wednesday that legislators had a ‘lacklustre’ approach as the schemes should have been submitted by July this year.

“Only two members have so far submitted proposals to us,” Azam said, speaking on the third day of the assembly session, which was chaired by Speaker Wazir Baig.

Azam further said the delay in submitting proposals would jeopardise the execution and implementation of development projects as officials in the planning department may not have enough time to conduct formalities and analyses of the projects.

“Legislators will be responsible for the delay if projects submitted late are not approved,” he said.



Earlier in the assembly session, Opposition Leader Janbaz Khan asked Chief Minister Mehdi Shah to clear his position about ‘forgiving’ corruption of Rs1.5 billion by government officials, as a report in a local newspaper had carried. Khan questioned Shah’s right to forgive embezzlement.

Shah denied giving the statement, saying he had been misquoted. As the debate progressed, other assembly members joined in the criticism about the statement, forcing the chief minister to eventually leave the house.  The speaker adjourned the proceedings for the next day.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2012.