PESHAWAR: PA demands withdrawal of increase in gas prices
By Mohammed Riaz
PESHAWAR, June 24: The NWFP Assembly on Saturday approved six demands for grant of over Rs2.364 billion to meet additional expenditures, projected in the revised estimates, by various departments in the annual budget for 2006-07 fiscal year.
Through a unanimous resolution, the house also demanded that the federal government should withdraw the recent 22.5 per cent increase in natural gas prices. The joint resolution was tabled by Bashir Ahmed Bilour of the Awami National Party, Shagufta Naz and Amanat Ali Shah of the MMA.
They said that a sudden increase in gas charges, after passage of the federal budget, was a callous and anti-people decision.
Treasury benches failed to satisfy opposition MPAs, who were reluctant to grant a demand of Rs1.476 billion to the finance department to meet its expenditures. The opposition lawmakers were of the view that the finance department itself had failed to maintain a financial discipline in the previous year.
Health Minister Inayatullah Khan, who presented the grant for demand on behalf of finance minister, urged opposition MPAs to withdraw their cut motions and demonstrate unity with the government. But, opposition lawmakers asked the speaker to seek voting on the issue. The opposition was, however, defeated by majority vote.
Opposition MPAs also criticised another demand for grant of over Rs54 million to the planning and development department and sought a voting on it. Pir Mohammad Khan of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal expressed his dissatisfaction on the performance of the department. He said the department, supposed to devise a sustainable development strategy for the NWFP, had failed to make a viable planning.
He said the annual development programme had been turned into umbrella schemes and the chief minister had been vested with all funds.
Speaking on previous allocations, Abdul Akbar Khan of the People’s Party Parliamentarians said the government had granted schemes to its own MPAs. He said the opposition had been ignored, so they opposed it.
Qazi Mohammad Asad of the PML proposed that a planning and development cell should be established at the chief minister’s house which should entertain and facilitate lawmakers.
Despite a request by the minister, opposition MPAs refused to withdraw their motions. When the speaker sought the opinion of the house, MMA parliamentarians voted against the cut motion.
PPP leader Abdul Akbar quickly rose and asked the chair that the house had rejected the demand. The chair, however, once again sought the opinion and got it (demand) defeated.
The lawmakers lashed out at the revenue department and termed it a biggest source of corruption and bribery.
Maulana Ismatullah, minister for revenue, informed the house that they were planning to computerise land record of the NWFP.
He claimed it would help in curbing corruption.
After the minister’s statement opposition lawmakers withdrew all their motions.
Speaker Bakht Jehan Khan adjourned the sitting till Monday.
