Uneven distribution of uplift schemes irks opposition

PESHAWAR: The opposition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly may stage protest outside the Chief Minister House after the session is prorogued to protest the uneven distribution of development schemes among lawmakers.

Awami National Party (ANP) lawmaker from Mohmand district Nisar Ahmad told The News that the government had verbally directed the administration in his district not to consult the opposition lawmaker over development schemes. “The opposition is currently holding protest against the government on the floor of the assembly but it could stage demonstration outside the Chief Minister House if our demands are not met,” Nisar Ahmad warned. The ANP lawmaker said that the assembly Speaker (Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani) was ‘weak’ and was being directed by the government. “He supports the ruling party,” he added.

“The protest would continue till the demands of the opposition are met,” he said. He claimed that the government and opposition had decided that 65 percent development funds would be allocated to the ruling PTI lawmakers and 35 percent to the opposition MPAs. However, he said, the government was not willing to provide the agreed amount for the schemes proposed by the opposition legislators. He said the government had allocated up to Rs400 million for the schemes of its lawmakers while the opposition lawmakers got only Rs20 to 30 million. Nisar Ahmad claimed the deputy commissioner in his district had received orders from the provincial government wherein he was directed to take input from the PTI MNA and party workers and exclude the lawmaker belonging to the opposition. He claimed that he had been asked to provide development schemes but none had been approved by the government. The ANP lawmaker said that the MPAs were not being consulted for the recruitment of Class-IV employees. He said the constituents of the opposition lawmakers expected them to launch schemes in their constituencies but the government wanted to punish the voters for not electing the candidates of the ruling party in last year’s election.

Nisar Ahmad argued that the government wanted to discredit the opposition lawmakers in the eyes of their voters. He said it was not only discrimination but also amounted to insulting the mandate of the people of their respective areas. “The entire opposition is facing this issue. The opposition has not yet taken a final decision about launching the protest but it is one of the options being considered,” he added.