March 16, 2003	Sunday	Muharram 12, 1424

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QUETTA, March 15: Quetta city and district government has not been given funds in the Provincial Financial Award (PFC) on the basis of city’s actual population.

It was observed at a seminar held here on Saturday entitled Poverty Alleviation Strategy.

Nazimeen and district coordination officers from all over the province participated in the seminar.

Speaking on the occasion, Quetta City and district government Nazim Mohammad Rahim Kakar said that Quetta was the provincial capital and it needed more funds on the basis of its actual population for its development.

He said last year Quetta Municipal Corporation was given Rs290 million but this year only Rs90 million had been allocated as Quetta’s share in the Provincial Financial Award.

“Quetta’s share in the PFC is not according to its population,” the Quetta City and district government Nazim said and claimed that it was due to publication of false figures of population in the last census. He said noting remained with the district government after the distribution of funds to the tehsil and union councils.

He also objected to the procedure of general sales tax and said it was not correct. He said that the Central Board of Revenue was collecting General Sales Tax from Quetta City but outskirts of the provincial capital were exempted from the GST. He said that such decisions were creating problems for the Quetta City and District government.

Mr Kakar said that without increasing funds for the provincial capital the problems being faced by the citizens of Quetta city could not be resolved.

While referring to health facilities, Mr Kakar said that now Quetta Civil Hospital has also been given status of a teaching hospital. However, he said most of the government hospitals were facing shortage of doctors, medicines and machinery.

He said the government should pay attention to this important issue and appoint doctors in hospitals.