PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed an amendment bill binding non-governmental organisations to execute all development schemes through the respective district development advisory committees in the province.

The amendment was made to Section 5 of the DDAC Act, 1989, which says: “Provided further that all developmental schemes executed through NGOs shall be routed through the DDAC Committee in order to avoid any duplication.”

The DDACs comprising four MPAs and officials concerned, function in every district of the province with the role of overseeing the relevant development schemes and approving new projects.

Before the amendment, these committees used to oversee the government-funded schemes in their respective districts. Now, the development activities of NGOs will also route through these committees.

Minister for local government Inayatullah Khan, parliamentary secretary for social welfare and women empowerment department Dina Naz and MPA Meraj Hamayun were not in favour of the amendment, which was jointly moved by MPAs Sardar Mohammad Idrees of PTI and Munawar Khan and Shah Hussain Khan of JUI-F.

After detailed discussion on the private bill, chairperson of the panel of chairmen Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, who was in the chair, put the amendment to vote resulting in its unanimous passage.

Several ministers and lawmakers of the treasury benches also supported the bill.

Lawmakers said development schemes executed by NGOs should be routed through the committees concerned to avoid duplication and irregularities in the use of funds.

They said there existed several fake NGOs, which had long been receiving funds from donors for different projects but hadn’t spend the money properly.

Minister Inayatullah Khan said he agreed with the spirit of the amendment.

He, however, suggested that instead of the words ‘routed through’, the words ‘shall be brought to the notice of DDAC’ be used in the bill.

The minister said the KP legislates to regulate NGOs’ schemes federal and provincial governments had international commitments and the house should not make amendments, which might create complications.

However, lawmakers from both sides rejected the minister’s arguments.

Also, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2015, moved by Nighat Orakzai of Pakistan People’s Party, was introduced in the house.

The government did not oppose the private member’s bill.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information (Amendment) Act, 2015, an important piece of legislation was not introduced in the house due to the absence of Shaukat Ali Yousafzai of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

The house had amended the existing RTI Act through which the secretariat of the assembly along with members and assembly itself was excluded from the purview of the law. The amendment had caused a great hue and cry.

PTI chairman Imran Khan had reportedly intervened and directed the ruling party to withdraw the amendment.

Earlier, a question related to the removal of several investigation officers from the provincial Ehtesab Commission was deferred due to the absence of the relevant minister.

The opposition members later staged a token walkout from the house to protest the frequent absence of ministers.

The house while accepting the calling attention notice filed by Jamaat-i-Islami’s Rashida Rifat directed the government to provide daycare centres and separate washrooms to female officials at their respective offices.

Chairperson Tahirkheli directed the government to ensure provision of such facilities in its new offices, too.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play