TIMERGARA: Provincial Minister for Finance Muzaffar Syed has said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would allocate Rs449 billion for development projects in the province in its tax-free budget for the fiscal year 2015-16.

“Rs449 billion have been set aside for development projects in the province,” the minister revealed while talking to media persons at Timergara Press Club on Sunday. He said that the budget for health department had been increased by 25 per cent, police by 21 per cent, higher education by 20 per cent and education department by 23 per cent in the next fiscal budget.

Mr Syed said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was expected to get its share of Rs650 billion from the federal government this year. He said that the provincial government had requested the centre to increase the ‘war on terror grant’ from one per cent to three per cent.

“The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been the worst-affected province by militancy and it is playing a frontline role in combating terrorism,” the minister said, adding that the basic infrastructure and economy of the province had been affected by the ongoing fight against terrorism. He said that the federal government had agreed to meet the demands of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government as the province had presented its case with solid arguments.

Finance minister reveals Rs449bn being set aside for development projects

He said that the government employees would also hear good news about increase in their salaries and other perks in the budget.

Meanwhile, the Jamaat-i-Islami’s newly-elected MPA from Lower Dir, Izazul Mulk, on Sunday called upon people of the area to support the JI candidates in the local government elections for establishment of a corruption-free society.

Addressing party functions at Talash, he said that JI had strong vote bank in all districts of Malakand division, but it also needed public support in other districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said that the inclusion of Dir in the proposed economic zones under the Pak-China Economic Corridor would boost the economic condition of the backward areas. He asked people to elect honest and educated people as their representatives at grassroots level.

JUI-F POPULARITY: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl provincial chief Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan on Sunday criticised the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for its failure to utilise development budget for two consecutive years and termed it a failed of the government.

Addressing a party gathering here at Khall, he said that the federal government should take leaders of all the political parties on board on the issue of economic corridor. He claimed that the popularity graph of PTI had dropped in the province and people of the region would no more vote for it. The JUI-F leader said that his party had been strengthened in Lower Dir as several influential people had joined it.

The JUI-F candidate for district council from Shahikhel Talash, Mufti Khalid Mehmood, claimed on the occasion that 32 families had recently joined the party in Talash. Also, Mohammad Islam and Lal Zarin announced to quit JI and join the JUI-F. They made the announcement during a function held at Landai village of Lajbok Darra on Sunday.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2015

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