PESHAWAR, Oct 25: Apprehending misuse of development funds on part of the Peshawar district Nazim, Awami National Party has raised numerous objections against the Peshawar City District budget for the financial year 2001-02.

Pointing out several errors and ‘unjustified expenditure’ in the budget document, the party opposed the establishment of a Rs 20 million district development fund.

It apprehended that the district Nazim, being a political figure, might utilize the same fund for political gains in areas of his party’s support.

In a press release issued here on Thursday by the ANP’s central information secretary Haji Mohammed Adeel, the party also expressed surprise that previously the chief minister of the province used to have discretionary grant of Rs 15 million to Rs 20 million whereas now the Nazim of the district Peshawar city would enjoy the same amount of discretionary fund in the name of development.

He said the amount placed at the disposal of the Nazim should be distributed among the 92 union councils of the city district on equal basis as the money allocated to each of the union council, under the development budget, appeared to be peanuts.

The Awami National Party also took exception to a budgetary allocation of Rs 5.4 million under the head of travelling allowance/daily allowance and payment of honorarium to the councillors.

Haji Adeel also pointed out a difference of Rs 150,000 in the budget’s schedule for contingencies.