PESHAWAR, Nov 20: The provincial government has stopped work on toll plazas being constructed by the City District Government at points of entry into Peshawar to collect district tax from vehicles entering the city.

This was stated by Local Government and Urban Development Minister Sardar Mohammad Idrees during a debate on an adjournment motion in the NWFP Assembly on Monday.

The chair converted a call attention notice tabled by Iftikhar Ahmad Jhagra of the People's Party Parliamentarians into an adjournment motion and coupled it with another identical motion submitted by Shagufta Naz and Zobaida Khatoon of the Mutahidda Majlis-i-Amal against establishment of the toll plazas.

Mr Jhagra said neither the provincial government and nor highways authorities were aware about the construction of plazas on main roads leading to Peshawar.

He said it was not only an encroachment upon provincial government’s powers, but also a financial burden to be borne by commuters. The chair advised the minister concerned to brief the assembly within two days on the matter.

Mr Idrees told the assembly that the provincial government had banned the construction of the toll plazas.

The assembly unanimously adopted a resolution tabled by Riffat Akbar Khan Swati of the PPP (Sherpao), demanding allotment of special Haj seats to MPAs.

She said the federal government had granted Haj seats to MNAs and senators to facilitate their nominees, but had not reserved seats for MPAs.

On an adjournment motion tabled by Abdul Majid Khan of the MMA against alleged corruption in the revenue department, NWFP Revenue Minister Maulana Ismatullah said his office had thrice ordered relevant staff to display rates of tax on agriculture income, water charges, and land registration and mutation in their offices. He assured the house that display of fee charts would be ensured.

On a proposal by Abdul Akbar Khan of the PPP, the speaker constituted a house committee comprising Iftikhar Ahmad Jhagra, Pir Mohammd Khan, Abdul Akbar Khan, Dr Mohammad Salim Khan and Abdul Majid Khan to hold a meeting with the revenue minister on Nov 27 and resolve the matter.

Ghazala Habib of the PPP (Sherpao) in a privilege motion drew the attention of the assembly towards the adjustment of teachers on vacant posts in her constituency. She said it had been a government policy to make appointments on vacant posts from the same union council in order to ensure presence of teaching staff in schools. In her constituency, she said, the government had transferred teachers from other constituency and adjusted against vacant posts. She said it was an injustice to her voters.

Abdul Akbar Khan, Maulana Jehangir from Chitral, Pir Mohammad Khan and Sikandar Hayat Sherpao endorsed the motion and said they had received similar complaints from other areas too. They urged the government to abide by laws.

On an assurance of the education minister that he would look into the matter, she did not press her motion. On a point of order Qalb-i-Hasan from Kohat drew the attention of the house towards substandard construction of a special education centre in his district. He said the government should explain who was responsible for it.

Khalid Waqar Chamkani, Neema Akhtar and Iftikhar Jhagra presented reports of standings committees on administration, Zakat, usher, social welfare, women’s development, schools and literacy.

Speaker Bakht Jehan Khan adjourned the session till Tuesday.