PESHAWAR, Jan 24: Opposition in the NWFP Assembly on Tuesday accused the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) of promoting ‘the worst kind of nepotism’ and ignoring people of their constituencies while making ‘bloc allocation’ of development schemes. Initiating a debate on the new method of distributing ADP funds introduced as ‘bloc allocation’, Israrullah Gandapur said that by this method the decision of the members on the passage of the Annual Development Programme for 2004-05 had been ignored.
He asked what was the use of the elected assembly if all development allocations were to be made by the ‘Politburo’ of the MMA.
Apparently, he said, the budget had been passed by the house but in actuality the distribution of funds was made by some ‘hidden hands’ which acted like ‘Politburos’ of the defunct communist parties.
The MMA won elections in the name of Islam and it was expected that they would end nepotism and corruption, he said. However, he regretted, it had outclassed their predecessors and made a new record of its own.
He said Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani had assured the house that all MPAs were like chief ministers of their constituencies and their demands would be entertained at all forums but, he added, the MMA government had tarnished their image as elected representatives of people.
He said neither the four MPAs from D.I. Khan nor the district nazim had been taken into confidence in allocation of funds.
Abdul Akbar Khan of the Pakistan People’s Party (Parliamentarians) also criticized the MMA’s ‘discriminatory’ policy towards people in opposition’s districts.
He said the MMA was following in footsteps of Gen Pervez Musharraf who had turned parliament into a powerless debating house instead of a decision-making forum.
The MMA, he said, had ignored the decisions of the assembly by manoeuvring the bloc allocation which was a way of benefiting a particular section of the house.
He said opposition lawmakers were also people’s representatives and if they asked for the construction of a school or a bridge in their constituencies, they did so it for the masses and not for themselves.
“We will go to the masses and inform them about the unjust and un-Islamic conduct of the MMA government with the opposition MPAs who have been deprived of funds, for it is a public exchequer and not the MMA kitty.”
Dr Salim Khan of the Swabi Qaumi Mahaz, Bashir Ahmed Bilour, Nighat Orakzai, Mukhtiar Khan and Farh Aqil Shah of the Awami National Party, Qalandar Khan Lodhi of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), Rifat Akbar Swati and Nasreen Khattak of Pakistan People’s Party-Sherpao, independent member Tahir Bin Yamin and opposition leader Shahzada Gustasip termed the bloc allocation a tool of benefiting the MMA’s unelected leadership.
Earlier, Anwar Kamal Khan of the PML-N criticized the US-led bombing in Bajaur Agency and the government’s ‘coward’ stand on it.
Local Bodies Minister Sardar Mohammad Idrees and the minister for law and parliamentary affair presented the NWFP Local Government (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2005, and Societies Registration (NWFP) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2005, respectively.
Later, Speaker Bakht Jehan Khan adjourned proceedings till Wednesday morning.