PESHAWAR, July 11: The NWFP government has forfeited Rs57.05 million of the Lakki Marwat district government in favour of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) as advance payment against the presumed power charges of the district in future.

This was stated by District Nazim Humayun Saifullah Khan while speaking at a budget session of Lakki Marwat district council on Friday. Convener Arifullah Khan Meenakhel presided over the session, which was also attended by assistant coordination officer Syed Khalid Israr Shah and heads of all the line departments, a press release issued here on Saturday said.

The nazim informed the House that a letter was received from the provincial finance department on July 8, which stated that an amount of Rs57.05 million had been forfeited from the account of the district government in favour of Pesco as advance payment against the presumed power dues.

"This turned the provision of Rs51.899 million (non-salary) annual budget of the district into debt/overdraft of Rs5.151, besides creating liability for the district government, the action brushed off the possibility of presenting the district's annual budget 2004-05," he added.

He said: "Budget is prepared against the available financial resources. When there are no resources, there can be no budget. Budget are not presented against liabilities/overdrafts."

He said that the provincial government provided figures for the budget 2004-05 on June 21, 2004, to the Lakki Marwat district government, but later withdrew an amount in excess of the provision on June 28, 2004, declaring that the amount had been made good in favour of Pesco as advance payment against the presumed electricity charges.

He asked the heads of the departments to incur expenses at their own risk, saying that the district government could not urge them to spend or invest. "The district government, under the present circumstances, desists from presenting the budget for the fiscal year 2004-05," the nazim added.