June 27, 2006	Tuesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 30, 1427

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PESHAWAR, June 26: The NWFP Assembly on Monday approved 11 demands for grant of over Rs9,922 million projected in the revised expenditure estimates of various departments during the current fiscal year.

The assembly had already approved six demands of grants worth over Rs2.36 billion on Saturday.

Top police officials were also present in the visitors’ gallery, witnessing a stiff opposition to a demand of over Rs4 billion for the police force. The demand for additional funds was moved by the chief minister.

Abdul Akbar Khan of the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians, who proposed to merge the Rs2.5 billion allowances into policemen’s basic salary, said the government had allocated over Rs4.39 billion for the police last year, but they had overspent their budget share. He said Rs60 million had been granted to meet their fuel expenditure, but the police had burnt fuel worth more than Rs160 million.

He was of the view that the amount allocated for the police force had been spent on officers’ cadre and it never trickled down. Mr Khan reiterated that the allowances should be merged into the policemen’s salaries, because they were the ones “who bore the drudgery”.

Leader of combined opposition Shahzada Gustasip did not contest the amount, but he opposed undue interference in police work. He said getting some blue-eyed officers posted in one’s district marred the efficiency of the police.

Makhdoom Mureed Kazim of the PPP (Sherpao) proposed revamping the police stations besides calling for an end to corruption in the force. Israrullah Khan Gandapur of the PPP (Sherpao), who also begged for a cut motion in the budget, informed the House that 37,707 police department employees had spent Rs190 million on their physical fitness, while 38,000 employees in nine other departments had spent only Rs100 million for medical bills. Mr Gandapur said that the medical expenditures showed that the entire police force were sick.

Sikandar Hayat Sherpao expressed concern over the increasing number of incidents of kidnapping-for-ransom and asked the government to take immediate action besides asking it to explain the procedure of recruitment in the police force.

Qazi Mohammad Asad Khan urged the government to increase the strength of police force in Haripur, where only 500 policemen were responsible for the security of 800,000 people spread over an area of hundreds of miles. Except two MPAs, all others withdrew their cut motions. The speaker, who sought a voting on the police grant, declared it defeated.

All MPAs, who begged for cut motions in grants for judiciary, expressed their concern on the small allocations for the justice system. They said the judges could not dispense justice if they were caught in basic socio-economic problems. The House granted the demand for the justice system.

The House granted the demand put up by Education minister Maulana Fazle Ali for the construction of 20 new schools and repair of 200 others in the province. He said education department, which had 160,000 employees, made up biggest chunk of the government employees.

The lawmakers, who objected to additional expenditures in the health department, withdrew their cut motions.

Health minister Inyatullah Khan assured Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani of the ruling PML that the Ayub Teaching Hospital would be given a fair amount for the purchase of medicine during the current year.

Later, the speaker adjourned the session till Tuesday.