July 19, 2007	Thursday	Rajab 03, 1428

MUZAFFARGARH, July 18: Controversies abound when it comes to the budget of Muzaffargarh district council. Union council (UC) nazims held two sessions of the district council on Wednesday; the first one was held by the UC nazims backing District Nazim Sardar Qayyum Jatoi while the other by UC nazims from the Pakistan Muslim League (PML). Both groups called each others’ session illegal.

A heavy contingent of police was present on the premises of the District Council Hall to avert any clash between the rivals. The PML had announced boycotting the budget session and three tehsil nazims and a number of MPAs were present on the premises to ensure that their nazims did not join the Jatoi camp.

First of Mr Jatoi held the session which was chaired by Convenor Jamshaid Dasti. The opposition boycotted it and sent only its nine members to the session to record their protest that the session was illegal. The opposition says the session should have been called by Ahd Sinawan or Allah Dad Khar because they were senior convenors of the assembly.

The Jatoi group in its session claimed that they had shown the majority in the session. The convenor asked the members if they approved the budget for 2007-08, the members loudly said, “Yes.” With this, he announced ending the session. Mr Jatoi claimed that more than 70 nazims were present in the session. But according to a count done by journalists, 28 nazims were present. The volume of the budget is Rs3.743 billion and it is a tax free budget. The district nazim said the budget was prepared by the district coordination officer, executive district officers (EDOs) and representatives of both the treasury and the opposition nazims.

When the Jatoi group came out of the hall, the opposition nazims held their session there under the chair of Allah Dad Khar. The ruling party claimed that 86 UC nazims attended the session called by the PML. The opposition rejected the budget session by the Jatoi group, saying it was an illegal.

Before the session, government officials, including EDOs, tehsildars, patwaris and policemen welcomed the PML nazims and served them with drinks and refreshments. No official work could be done due to the presence of all the EDOs and other officials on the premises of the District Council Hall.

Addressing a press conference, Jatoi said if the district government did not release funds after the passage of the budget, he would again move court. The matter of Muzaffargarh budgets has been in the Lahore High Court, Multan bench, for the last two years.

Talking to Dawn, EDO (Finance) Dr Wasif Khurshid said he would take up the matter of budget after he received a notification from the district nazim about the passage of the budget.