The session kicked off with scathing criticism from Qaumi Watan Party’s (QWP) parliamentary leader Sikandar Khan Sherpao over the figures contained in the budget document.
DESIGN-FAIZAN DAWOOD/FILE
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) budget continued to take a battering from opposition leaders in the provincial assembly session on Wednesday.
The session kicked off with scathing criticism from Qaumi Watan Party’s (QWP) parliamentary leader Sikandar Khan Sherpao over the figures contained in the budget document.
In his incisive inquisition of the numbers, Sherpao insisted the budget was not balanced and that the finance department was trying to hide this fact.
He claimed the total deficit stood at Rs64 billion, which was about 15% of the budget. The QWP leader added that on May 22 Minister for Finance Sirajul Haq acknowledged a Rs22 billion deficit in a public statement, but yet on June 14 presented a ‘balanced’ budget.
Sherpao maintained the budget was not ‘pro-poor’ as it was said to be and instead further burdened the public by increasing taxes. He said that under Article 142(C) of the Constitution, the provincial government cannot levy taxes on income and corporations. "Isn’t the provincial government’s imposition of taxes on income and corporations unconstitutional?" he questioned.
Sherpao went on to add the operational budget used for service delivery was on the decline while allocations for salaries were on the rise.
Taking a jibe at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) 90-day ultimatum, he said the provincial government first engaged in the “business of deadlines” and was now busy making legislation, but not implementing them.
Sherpao also called for regional development, saying southern districts, Hazara and Malakand were neglected in the development budget.
He also criticised investment in provincial government bonds, claiming it would reflect badly on the Khyber Bank, where the government previously kept its money.
Defending the government’s legislation drive, Minister for Information Shah Farman said enacting laws took up so much time because the opposition’s viewpoint was taken into account at every turn. He said the government has set the stage by creating the necessary framework for reforms in the province.
In his speech, Awami National Party’s (ANP) Sardar Hussain Babak concentrated on the education department, saying Rs74 billion is being spent on salaries while only Rs8.1 billion has been allocated for development – the same as last year. Babak maintained not a single penny was utilised on development schemes of the education department.
The ANP leader also questioned why the government had imposed taxes on private educational institutions when it should have instead created a regulatory authority to oversee private schools. He claimed the government was duplicating schemes launched by the ANP-PPP government.
Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Atif Khan rejected Babak’s assertions and said they were trying to revamp the system. He added the government was reconstructing about 760 schools destroyed in the 2005 earthquake while earmarking Rs800 million for the training of teachers.
Khan said the government was planning to end political victimization in transfer of teachers and had also earmarked Rs2.5 billion to provide furniture to schools and vehicles to district education officers. He added a complaint redressal system would be launched in the department shortly.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha also called for giving a due share of the development budget to opposition members.
In his speech, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said the government did not discriminate between different areas of the province and has issued funds for roads to all the lawmakers, adding those who have not yet received the money will also be accommodated.
Khattak said Hangu has been allocated Rs2.5 billion, Peshawar Rs1.7 billion, Charsadda Rs1.6 billion, Nowshera Rs1.7 billion, Mardan Rs850 million, Lower and Upper Dir Rs1.1 billion each, Haripur Rs1.7 billion while Hazara division as a whole will get Rs10 billion for development. He hence argued allegations of disparity in distribution of funds bore no weight.
Minister for Health Shahram Tarakai and QWP’s Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli also spoke during the session which was later adjourned till afternoon.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 19th, 2014.
COMMENTS (2)
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@ Kashif Khan Concentrate on Punjab where you guys are ruling since 25 years, exposed badly two day back. You have no right to compare 1 year of PTI with 25 years of PML(N)
The PTI government has become a joke. It is not even shocking now when they try to continuously lie to our faces. The truth is: Balanced budget, no development, more taxes, no progress, non utilization of funds and a stagnant government that has done absolutely nothing in one year despite claims of change in 90 days.