Making progress: K-P Assembly approves Rs17 billion supplementary budget

Lawmakers raise development funds issue once again.

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Friday approved supplementary budget of over Rs17 billion for the fiscal year 2013-14.

The house approved 51 supplementary demands for grants worth over Rs17 billion, with almost all opposition members withdrawing their cut motions unanimously.

While speaking on a cut motion, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker from Kohistan, Abdus Sattar, demanded the provincial government form zones for Kohistan, Battagram, Torghar and Shangla in the Provincial Public Service Commission (PPSC).

Sattar said these areas had virtually no representation in the provincial bureaucracy. He added candidates from the areas failed to pass the competitive examination for the provincial bureaucracy due to low literacy rates. The areas are currently a part of Zone III in the examination. He demanded these districts be brought under a newly-formed Zone VI. The motion was backed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) lawmakers Zarin Gul and Mohammad Asmatullah. Gul said a resolution to this effect would be submitted in the provincial assembly. Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Israrullah Gandapur also agreed with the PML-N lawmaker, saying since PPSC was a constitutional body, the department should answer questions on the floor of the house.

The issue of MPAs’ development funds cropped up once again, when Awami National Party Parliamentary Leader Sardar Hussain Babak reminded a meeting on this issue had been promised three days ago, but was yet to take place. He urged the government to come up with a clear policy, claiming the denial of development funds showed a lack of confidence in elected lawmakers.

However, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak reiterated these funds would be issued through district development committees (DDCs) and asked members to participate in the DDC meeting and share their schemes. “The funds will then be released after a tendering process.”

Khattak denied the government had no trust in MPAs, and explained it was trying to put a lid on corruption. “I trust lawmakers, but not the system,” said the chief minister.

Health minister Shaukat Yousafzai told the house the government would install thumb impression reading machines in all major hospitals within a week to ensure staff attendance. He also said the government would employ ad-hoc doctors, “The shortage of doctors will be met in these facilities by August, and the government will provide free emergency cover as well.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 29^th, 2013.