April 04, 2008	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 26, 1429

RAWALPINDI, April 3: Opposition on Thursday kicked up a rumpus in the first session of the city district assembly after the February 18 turnaround, alleging embezzlement in Rs180 million carry-forward funds and last year’s Rs60 million development budget.

As soon as District Naib Nazim Afzal Khokhar initiated the proceedings, the opposition and also some treasury members stood up and asked the authorities to explain the utilisation of the hefty sum of Rs240 million.

Col (retired) Abbas of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) said it was decided in the last session that the accounts committee would present its findings in this regard, but neither the accounts officer, who was blamed for the alleged misappropriation, was not present in the house nor the inquiry report was presented.

He said District Officer (Accounts) Munir Malik claimed that the money was spent on development projects in the district. If the amount was spent on uplift schemes, then the house should be informed about the projects which were undertaken.

The opposition members also criticised the absence of City District Nazim Raja Javed Ikhlas, saying that the mayor had promised that he would attend the session to answer the queries.

“Where is he today? His absence is a clear indication that he is involved in the embezzlement,” shouted some elected nazims of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Convener Afzal Khokar said they would make sure that Mr Ikhlas attended the next session.

District Officer (Roads) Farhat Munir said the local administration had no control over funds because these were released by the government’s finance department. He added that the administration initiated the projects in accordance with the payment.

UC 45 Nazim Malik Tahir said the house should be informed from where the money was paid for the projects carried out between December and March, when the district government’s funds were frozen.

He also said the Rawal Town administration should be asked why it had spent funds that were allocated for kutchi abadis of the town.

Councillor Tahira Shaukat said construction work on a new building of the district assembly had been started without the approval of its map. also demanded for

PML-N councillor Shakil Awan said in the past, the house had passed many resolutions with overwhelming majority regarding development projects, but none of them had materialised.

“When there is no project, then where are the funds? The total missing funds are of Rs240 million and we will take them back at any cost from the responsible persons,” he warned.

He said the officials had “bulldozed” the opposition members’ development schemes in the district, and regretted that the former ruling party had victimised its political opponents.

UC Lakhan Nazim Chaudhry Safdar said according to the local government ordinance, the draft budget should have been deliberated upon in the assembly but it had still not been presented.

UC Chak Jalal Din Nazim Mohammad Asif complained that the municipal administration officials were victimising the people, and claimed that so far his area had witnessed no development projects.