RAWALPINDI: Before handing over the financial matters to the elected mayor of Rawalpindi next month, the Rawal Town Municipal Administration (RTMA) has utilised Rs250 million development funds it has allocated for 2016-17.

As per the announcement of Election Commission of Pakistan, the election for the city mayor is scheduled to be held on Dec 22 and the mayor-elect will take oath to his office on Dec 31.

After getting the charge next month, the city mayor will not be able to launch any development scheme for next six months without the help of the provincial government.

The provincial government had asked the town municipal administrations across the province to spend the

development funds on the recommendation of ruling PMl-N MNAs, MPAs as well the party candidates for 2013 elections.

In Rawalpindi, Rawal Town Municipal Administration (RTMA) had launched more than 130 development schemes while allocating the quota to local PML-N leaders.

Former MNAs Malik Shakil Awan from NA-55 and Hanif Abbasi from NA-56 recommended Rs40 million each development schemes. Former MPAs Ziaullah Shah, Malik Ghulam Raza, Sardar Naseem and MPA Raja Hanif Advocate recommended the development schemes worth Rs30 million each in their constituencies.

A senior official of the RTMA told Dawn that the local leaders of the PML-N wanted to spend the allocated development funds as soon as possible because from next fiscal year, all the funds would be utilised on the recommendations of the union council chairmen.

Besides, they wanted to complete development schemes before the next elections.

A senior PML-N leader told Dawn that delay in formation of the local government had created unrest among the local government representatives. The local government elections were held on Dec 5, 2015 but it took a year to form the government.

He said after finding the union council chairmen angry over the slow pace of work, the party had asked the local leaders to collect development schemes from the union councils fell in their constituencies and submit them to the RTMA.

He said the local government would be functional next month but the mayor and the union council chairmen would have to wait until next fiscal year when provincial government would allocate funds.

On the other hand, Awami Muslim League (AML) Union Council Chairman and former Nazim Rawal Town Sheikh Rashid Shafique while talking to Dawn alleged that the RTMA officials and the ruling party leaders initiated the development schemes to get commissions from the contractors.

“It is the violation of the law as unelected people cannot utilise the development funds of the civic body. MNA and MPA or former ticket holders had no right to direct the civic body to launch development schemes,” he said.

He said that for the last eight years, the unelected leaders of the ruling PML-N were getting advantage of the absence of the local government to use the development funds as per their wishes.

“We will support the next mayor of the city if he raises the issue of using the development funds without the approval of the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation’s elected house. Though Sheikh Rashid’s AML, PTI and PPP did not able to contest the election of mayor, they will support the mayor if he is serious in the development of the city or strengthening the elected house of the RMC,” he said.

Published in Dawn December 3rd, 2016