March 20, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 11, 1429

LARKANA, March 19: The Pakistan Muslim League-Q backed members of Khushhal Pakistan Panel (KPP) passed Rs77.50 million worth development schemes under the Public Sector Development Programme 2007-2008 amidst boycott by PPP-backed members at the district council session on Wednesday.

The members were given a booklet containing details of schemes at the outset of the session. The members of Awam Dost Panel objected to passing the schemes in haste, arguing that it was difficult to go through and comprehend the schemes.

Convener Syed Ali Raza Shah who presided over the session ignored their objections, promoting the opposing members to boycott the proceedings.

The ADP members led by Khair Mohamemd Shaikh staged a sit-in outside the council hall and argued that the session could not pass the schemes with incomplete quorum.

They accused the district nazim of siphoning off millions of rupees and alleged that advance payments of Rs150 million had already been made to the contractors and full payments had been made for work being carried out on airport road, Nishtar road, SP road and Allahabad road.

They pointed out that substandard material was being used in the construction of roads and alleged that the council had illegally passed the schemes with only 28 members present in the session after 30 members of ADP boycotted.

They claimed that the KPP members had done this only to hush up their charges of corruption being levelled against them.