12 January 2005	Wednesday	01 Zilhaj 1425

PESHAWAR, Jan 11: The NWFP Assembly on Tuesday accorded approval to the Rs1.82 billion excess budget of 1997-98, amid a walkout by the opposition benches protesting over the modus operandi adopted by the government for the purpose.

The amount was unearthed by the Auditor-General of Pakistan during an inquiry conducted five years ago.

On a point of order, Abdul Akbar Khan, leader of the People's Party Parliamentarians, said the incumbent assembly could not pass an amount spent by the then government in 1997. He recalled that the then chief minister, a cabinet minister and other officials had to face grilling and a long detention in the case.

He asked the chair to delete the item (excess budget) form the agenda, but Speaker Bakht Jehan Khan assured him that he would be allowed to speak on the issue when it would come up for discussion.

Later, when Finance Minister Sirajul Haq tried to present the excess budget statement before the house, the PPP leader opposed it and termed it the 'biggest ever financial scandal in the province'.

He asked the chair why the government was in a hurry to get an amount passed which had not been spent in its tenure. Criticizing the finance ministry, he said the amount should have been reflected in the annual budget of 1998-99. He called upon the government to handle the matter in a transparent manner if it wanted to get the excess budget passed.

Mr Akbar Khan said that according to Article 124 the house could pass an amount authorized for the current year and not for the amount spent seven years ago. Anwar Kamal Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) said that none of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MPAs were aware of the budget-related issues but they were constrained to pass it by raising their hands.

The finance minister said that Mr Kamal should not have painted MMA lawmakers as ignorant. He said he would seek an apology. Mr Kamal denied the meaning inferred by Mr Haq from his remarks.

Later, reading out a ruling given on June 29, 1998 by the then speaker, Mr Bakht Jehan allowed the finance minister to table the excess budget of Rs1,820 million before the house for passage.

When the finance minister took the floor to present the budget, opposition lawmakers walked out. Mr Abdul Akbar Khan said 'it is a dacoity upon the exchequer', adding that they would not become a party to the 'financial scam'.

Earlier, journalists covering the house proceedings staged a token walkout against the retrenchment of four employees of an evening newspaper. Mr Kamal said the government should intervene to stop the retrenchment of reporters and make the newspaper owners implement the 7th Wage Award.

Chief minister Akram Khan Durrani, while talking to reporters in his chamber, held out an assurance that the newspaper management would not be allowed to render their employees jobless.

During the questions-answer hour, Health Minister Inyatullah Khan informed the house that the health ministry had stopped the theft of medicines from the public hospitals.

"The pharmaceutical companies supply us medicines in special packages. We have asked them to provide medicines in green packages so that their selling in the market can be checked," he said. The speaker then adjourned the house till Wednesday morning.