Assembly proceedings: K-P govt puts onus of LG polls on election commission

Says prerequisites complete, up to ECP to announce schedule for elections

PESHAWAR:

The provincial government has passed the buck to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding local government (LG) elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Responding to an adjournment motion raised by JUI-F lawmaker Mufti Syed Janan in Monday’s provincial assembly session, Minister for Local Government Inayatullah Khan said it was ECP’s responsibility to announce the schedule for LG elections, not the provincial government’s.

“The provincial government has completed all prerequisites and also moved an application to the ECP to hold polls under the biometric system,” said Khan.

According to the LG minister, the government has carried out delimitation and passed the LG Act, now it was up to the ECP to inform it in writing about any deficiency instead of making statements in the media.

Khan told the house that the ECP has been informed that the K-P government wants to hold local bodies elections in phases because it would be difficult to make arrangements in colder parts of the province and procure biometric systems for the entire province.

“If ECP authorities think they can manage elections across K-P, we have no objections,” he added.

Janan had earlier criticised the provincial government for failing to hold LG polls sooner despite the many claims it had made at the start of its tenure asking the LG minister to announce a poll date immediately.

Later, PPP’s Nighat Orakzai raised the issue of India’s violations of the Line of Control. Speaker Asad Qaiser asked the lawmakers to present a joint resolution on the matter. Subsequently, a joint resolution condemning Indian aggression was tabled and passed by the assembly.

Inequitable fund distribution

During the question hour, Janan raised the issue of funds distribution and the legislature learnt that during the previous ANP-PPP government’s tenure which lasted from 2008-2013, Mardan district received the lion’s share of the Chief Minister Discretionary Fund.

According to the figures submitted to the assembly, a total allocation of Rs15.8 billion was made to the discretionary fund in those five years. Of this amount, Mardan district, the hometown of the then chief minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti, received Rs7.7 billion, nearly half the total amount of the fund, while the underdeveloped districts were allocated a paltry sum.

As per the figures, from 2008-2013, Mardan led the share allocation with Rs7.7 billion followed by Peshawar with an allocation of Rs1.3 billion. The other districts remained inadequately funded with Abbottabad getting Rs0.19 billion, Bannu Rs0.32 billion, Battagram Rs0.15 billion, Buner Rs0.33 billion, Charsadda Rs0.88 billion, Lower Dir Rs0.34 billion and Upper Dir Rs 0.23 billion.

Similarly, DI Khan was allotted Rs0.76 billion from the CM Discretionary Fund , Haripur received Rs0.23 billion, Kohat Rs0.23 billion, Kohistan Rs0.21 billion, Malakand Rs0.47 billion, Mansehra Rs0.37 billion, Nowshera Rs0.56 billion, Swabi Rs0.58 billion and Swat Rs0.7 billion.

Incidentally, throughout the five years the least amount of the share went to the most underdeveloped districts, Tank received a measly Rs32 million, Karak Rs95 million, Shangla Rs49 million, Chitral Rs0.1 billion, Hangu Rs0.15 billion and Lakki Marwat Rs0.17 billion.

Moreover, the house also passed the K-P Elementary and Secondary Education Foundation (amendment) Bill 2014, and the session was later adjourned till Tuesday afternoon.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2014.