Corruption concerns: PM to freeze uplift funds for politicians
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has agreed to take a major step to discourage corruption in the political class by phasing out the practice of development funds for public representatives in the next financial year.
He announced the move during a meeting of the steering committee on polio eradication, which was also attended by the four provincial chief ministers.
Besides discussing ways to eradicate polio from the country in the meeting, the prime minister also directed the chief ministers to take solid measures to overcome corruption in their respective provinces.
PM Nawaz told the meeting that he has decided to stop issuing funds worth billions of rupees to the members of the National Assembly and the Senate in the name of development in respective constituencies from the next fiscal year.
He said the move is being taken in the wake of reports that these funds are being misused and corruption is being promoted. “So I have decided to close this door of corruption,” he added
He also urged the provincial governments to hold local government elections in their respective provinces as early as possible and suggested that the development funds be diverted to local governments.
The prime minister was of the view that diversion of funds to the local governments would help overcome corruption and resolve public issues at the local level more efficiently.
Nawaz advised the chief ministers to consider stopping development funds from being issued to the members of provincial assemblies in their respective provinces and diverting funds to the elected local governments for speedy and transparent development.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2014.
COMMENTS (4)
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@Hassan There's no harm to extend benefit of doubt, corruption, electric thefts and like wise several deseas's won't just vanished it takes time and efforts. Yes, Honorable PM you can't brush off issuing list of corrupt politician, land lords and land mafia's, taking concrete steps to bring back billions of stolen dollars from overse's backs.
But don't develop effective local government system and all funds are used (looted) by local bureaucracy which means everything will be controlled by CMs.
....and the game of ' politics of patronage '.....continues unabated.
And suddenly after 30 years of rule ,he knew his ministers were involved in corruption , and he took action as he thinks only about Pakistan no no its not because of IK pressure, its because he just got to know about it.