Govt flayed for ‘misuse’ of funds on VIP protocol

LAHORE
The opposition on Thursday in Punjab Assembly took on the treasury benches and Punjab government for allegedly misappropriating funds under the supplementary budget for the year 2014-15 on VIP protocol for government officials, expenditure on the personal residences of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, flyovers and roads instead of emergency purposes.
Winner from Gujranwala PP-97 former PML-Q MPA Muhammad Nasir Cheema also took oath as an independent member. In his speech, Cheema thanked the opposition parties including PTI, JI, PAT, and PML-Q for their support ensuring his victory.
The assembly reconvened with a general discussion on the supplementary budget for the previous year 2014-15. During the budget year, unanticipated needs may arise that call for expenditure beyond that approved under the province’s Annual Budget. A department may require more money due to an emergency situation such as floods due to unexpected heavy monsoon rainfall and breakdown of law and order.
Criticizing the need for a supplementary budget, PTI MPA Mian Aslam Iqbal said that in advanced countries government expenditure was always approved by the parliament and all attempts were made to implement the budget in letter and spirit. He claimed that the supplementary budget of 2014-15 estimated at more than 42 billion rupees had been misappropriated on flashy government advertisements in newspapers, unnecessary flyovers and roads, Raiwind residence of the Prime Minister instead of building hospitals. The grievances of those residing in South Punjab are legitimate, said Iqbal, and the Constitution gives them a right to a separate province. He informed that the 255 hospitals in South Punjab had vacancies of nurses and doctors that estimated at around 16,000. Only 45 per cent of the development budget was spent, he said, adding that Lahore Development Authority was charging high commercialisation fees from small businesses and vendors, which was originally the responsibility of the district government. He reiterated his demand for a special audit of funds given to towns and district governments by the Punjab government, taunting that this demand would be rejected as the political workers of PML-N were serving on these posts.
After his requests of additional time to speak on the floor being denied by the Speaker, the PTI MPA called for quorum in the House after which he and other opposition members proceeded to walk out from the Assembly. The quorum was filled after a five minute break and the opposition returned from its brief walkout.
PML-N MPA Mian Tariq Mehmood blasted the opposition for not respecting the Speaker’s authority and decorum in the House. The MPA said recommendations were necessary and not blanket criticism of this year’s budget. Mehmood proceeded to narrate an entire list of achievements by the government including the supposed eradication of dengue under the leadership of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
PTI MPA Dr Murad Rass called for an end to comparisons between the government led by his party in KPK province and PML-N’s domination of Punjab over the last 25 years. Rass claimed that bureaucrats had fudged the figures given in the budget on the behest of the government to hide underutilisation of funds and misappropriation of funds. Bribes are needed if a patient wants a bed or facility in Lahore Services Hospital, he further claimed. He criticised the government for handing over so many vital projects including cleaning of cities to Turkey instead of a local company and the setting up of Ramazan bazaars throughout the province.
PML-N MPA Muhammad Islam Askan while praising the Annual Budget called for the CM to allocate the promised funds for Cholistan Development Authority to develop the infrastructure, irrigation, and livestock sector of surrounding Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, and Bahawalnagar. He requested a government male and girls college be set up in his constituency in Rahim Yar Khan, that every tehsil and district headquarters receive equal share of funds, a comprehensive policy for purchase of wheat, and an end to agricultural income tax.
PML-Q MPA Khadija Umar lamented that Punjab Murree House had received 4.3 million under the supplementary budget and the Punjab House in Karachi had received huge funding despite the CM, Punjab not availing it this year. She demanded an audit of head money given to policemen in awards by the government and criticised the 7.2 million rupeesspent on kitchens and toilets for three officers of the Finance Department. She asked why the Prime Minister needed 2.1 million rupees for the expenses of Jati Umra residence and 400 million rupees for entertainment under the supplementary budget in addition to 200 million rupees for gifts to foreign dignitaries.
PML-N MPA Sheikh Allaudin said whereas the Federal government under Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had accepted amendments from the opposition, the Punjab government had not made any changes in its Annual Budget. He criticised the government for a high Umrah fee and new taxes on visa processing. PPP Parliamentary Leader Qazi Ahmed Saeed also criticised the expenditure on Jati Umra and CM Secretariat.
The House broke into a ruckus when PML-N MPA Sheikh Ejaz Ahmed called out PTI for ineffective governance in KPK, failed container politics, and the nonchalant attitude of KPK CM Pervaiz Khattak after floods ravaged the province. PTI MPAs chanted Go Nawaz Go slogans and Mian Aslam Iqbal demanded that the speech focus on the budget and not politics. Ahmed proceeded to wind up his speech with a poem met by applause from the treasury benches.
The House will resume on Friday (today).