LAHORE: The allocation of Rs7.5 billion for development projects in all and Rs25 million for each Rawalpindi constituency, by the Punjab government, is pre-poll rigging in Rawalpindi and 36 districts of Punjab.

This was alleged by the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) and Citizens’ Network for Budget Accountability in a statement issued on Wednesday.

CPDI Programme Manager Syed Kausar Abbas said MNAs and MPAs had nothing to do with developments of streets as per law and they were elected for the legislation at provincial and national levels.

‘Grants for MPs is pre-poll rigging’

“The top leadership of Punjab and federal government give fiscal benefits to PML-N assembly members which is unconstitutional and illegal as per their rules of business”, the statement quoted Abbas as having said.

He demanded that the Election Commission of Pakistan and the Supreme Court of Pakistan ban such funds before the local government elections in Punjab.

He said the Local Government Act of Punjab was not a citizens’ friendly act and was not showing any commitment by the government to decentralise the fiscal issues from the provincial level to local governments.

He demanded that the Punjab government revise local government laws and introduce amendments that could empower local government institutions in the province.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2015

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