KP opposition moves PHC against inclusion of umbrella schemes in ADP

PESHAWAR: Opposition members in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly have moved the Peshawar High Court against the inclusion of block/umbrella schemes in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) by the provincial government.

The writ petition filed by opposition leader in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Dr Ibaddullah Khan and members Arbab Muhammad Wasim, Ahmad Kundi, Arbab Muhammad Usman, Kiramatullah Khan, Ihsanullah Khan, Muhammad Iqbal Khan and 19 others through Sultan Muhammad Khan advocate.

The opposition lawmakers have taken the stance that inclusion of these projects was illegal and prayed the court to declare them projects null and void. The court also requested to stop the process of release and spending of funds for these projects.

KP chief secretary, additional chief secretary P&D, secretary Communication and Works and the secretaries of other departments have been made respondents.The writ said that the provincial government had presented the budget in June 2024 in which the annual development programme was also approved.

However, some block and umbrella schemes and development projects have been included in the ADP, which were termed a sheer violation of the law.The writ added that the Supreme Court and Peshawar High Court had already delivered verdicts declaring such projects illegal and unconstitutional.

The opposition members have informed the court through their petition that road construction, clean drinking water supply, multi-sectoral development and others had been included in the projects and a significant amount has been allocated for the same.

Referring to the said umbrella schemes in the writ, it has been said that these projects have been sanctioned illegally and the manner in which funds were being released was also a violation of the government’s own funds release policy.

According to the petitioners, these projects have been included on the basis of favoritism and nepotism while the lawmakers belonging to the opposition were being discriminated against.The petitioners have prayed court to declare the inclusion of all the umbrella and block schemes in the ADP as illegal and also stop the process of release and distribution of funds for these schemes to the parties till the disposal of petition.