May 31, 2006	Wednesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 3, 1427

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PESHAWAR, May 30: Women parliamentarians in the NWFP Assembly have received millions of rupees over the past four years as part of the MPA funds but have done virtually nothing for the hapless women they represent, investigations by Dawn revealed.

Officials have acknowledged that the women MPAs, with 33 per cent representation in the provincial assembly, have not identified many schemes for the uplift of womenfolk and instead have spent funds allotted to them on pavements and streets in their four-year tenure.

Women MPAs also admitted in so many words that they couldn’t do more for women development since they became MPAs and did not fully utilise the annual MPA funds for the welfare of women in the last four years.

Each woman MPA was given Rs5 million per annum in 2002 under Tameer-i-Sarhad Programme (TSP).

The allocation however, was increased to Rs10 million in the financial year 2005-2006.

But each woman MPA’ despite having received a total of Rs25 million in the last four years, have not come up with projects for women development.

“Almost every MPA gives priority to street pavements and roads and come up with other such-like schemes,” a concerned official said.

Women MPAs, however, defend themselves and claim that they are restricted to come up with small schemes like pavement of streets due to policy guidelines in the Tameer-i-Sarhad Programme (TSP).

In the House of 124 members, there are three minority representatives and 22 female MPAs.

Farah Aqil Shah, an Awami National Party MPA, complained against the government for not giving them relaxation in identifying schemes.

She said that no one was allowed to identify schemes which were outside the priority sectors mentioned in the TSP.

“The government just wants us to repair and make street pavements and roads, utilise funds on de-silting of canals and do nothing else even if that is the urgent requirement of people of an area,” Ms Aqil said.

The work of the MPAs and councillors is overlapping. Everyone is engaged in street pavement schemes. The process of the release of funds is also slow and sometimes even the funds lapse and one has to revive the funds in the next financial year, she said.

The chief minister could favour any MPA with a “special package” and it is on the discretion of the CM to give extra financial help to an MPA for a project, Ms Aqil said.

She said: “Women MPAs on the reserved seats are just a show-piece in the assembly. Women MPAs have been unsuccessful to draw attention of the government to women issues.’’