Rejoinder: Khattak spent Rs0.5m on gifts, spokesperson

The Chief Minister’s Secretariat spokesperson said Pervez Khattak spent Rs0.5 million on buying gifts for foreign dignitaries and guests during the fiscal year 2014-15.

In response to a story regarding Khattak’s spending published in The Express Tribune on Sunday, the spokesperson has issued a clarification. According to a handout issued on Monday, the official said numbers are incorrect.

“The allocation of Rs324 million for the next fiscal year is not just for the CM House but also covers for the expenses of CM Secretariat and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Houses in Islamabad and Nathiagali,” the notification quoted him as saying. He added only around Rs6 million were demanded and the reported additional spending worth Rs60 million is incorrect. “The finance department increases the kitty by 10% every year.”

The spokesperson said only 35 officers of BS-17 and above work in the CM Secretariat who are not provided with any additional allowances. “Rs3.8 million was spent on gas and electricity bills out of the total allocation of Rs24.4 million.”

He said not a penny was spent on the registration of vehicles and that the finance department had mistakenly released Rs3.65 million that has already been redirected. “Staff vehicles and the CM’s helicopter burnt fuel worth Rs12.9 million instead of the reported 15 million.” The handout added figures regarding construction expenses have also been fabricated. “Rs12.2 million was spent on the repair and maintenance of vehicles.”

However, the story carried earlier was based on budget documents that are available with The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2015.