SWABI, May 9: Opposition members staged a walkout from a session of the Swabi tehsil council on Friday against what they called the district government’s allocation of Rs6 million for alleged fake development schemes.

The council meeting was convened here on Friday to approve the revised Rs58 million budget for the year 2002-2003. But, the protesting councillors said the government had misused funds allocated for various schemes and deprived the elected members and the people of their rights.

The proceedings of the house on Thursday were crippled when a woman councillor Mumliqat Begum alleged that the government had installed its favourites in various handicraft centres who were not regularly attending their duties. This disclosure had led to allegations and counter-allegations and the convener of the house was forced to adjourn the session until Friday.

On Friday (today) when the session resumed the 10 members who said they had constituted a forward bloc, staged a walkout alleging that the government’s anti-member campaign had compelled them to protest, announcing that they were no longer part of the government.

They alleged that the Tehsil council had passed Rs500,000 for the purchase of a tractor, but some members had drawn Rs 1,800,000 and misappropriated Rs1,100,000.

The opposition and women councillors supported the protesting members when the government failed to give a proper explanation on the issue.

Later on, while addressing a news conference, the members of the forward bloc and the opposition members appealed to President Musharraf and the provincial government to constitute a committee to investigate into the matter.

They alleged that in the budget all opposition and even the treasury benches were ignored and only a few people had dominated the Tehsil council’s financial affairs.

When asked some of the government members alleged that there was no such thing as a forward bloc, and the protesters would rejoin soon them again.

When asked to comment on the “story of tractor” they said that sometime some financial adjustments were needed in any scheme.

They brushed aside the opposition and forward bloc’s allegations that only a few members had dominated the tehsil’s affairs saying that they had adopted a democratic approach in every scheme.

They said that if the opposition wanted the welfare of the people they should join hands with the government and give up their rigid stand.