Federal govt trying to paralyse KP economy: minister

PESHAWAR:  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Muzaffar Sayyid has alleged that the federal government is intentionally trying to paralyse the economy of the province and push the people and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against the wall.

“Our political elite and media have to raise Islamabad’s conscience against injustices meted to us or else it may be too late to rectify the situation,” he said while addressing a pre-budget consultation seminar in the Cabinet Room of Civil Secretariat.

The minister reiterated the firm commitment of his government to take concrete steps for elimination of corruption, reinvigoration of accountability process and strengthening of the institutions and said all these goals would be met through reasonable allocations in the budget for the new fiscal year
2016-17.

Muzaffar Sayyid, who belongs to the Jamaat-i-Islami, maintained that the province was facing numerous challenges in budget-making for the next financial year. Listing these challenges, he mentioned the huge expenditures incurred on counter-militancy efforts, terrorism, Afghan refugees, internally displaced persons, high dependence on federal tax collection, non-payment of its share in the net hydel profit, delay in 9th National Finance Commission Award and meagre local fiscal resources and taxes.

The minister said the government’s priorities for the new budget preparation included continuity of change and reforms, development of human resources and social sectors, increasing growth rate and employment opportunities, energy generation, exploiting natural resources, improving security and law and order and institutionalising the local government system to enable the government to deliver to the satisfaction of the masses.

Muzaffar Sayyid, who was elected MPA from Lower Dir district, explained that the KP government did not expect social grants or any other favours from the federal government as it wanted were provincial rights.

However, he said it was in the federation’s own larger interest to promptly transfer the dues required for budget
making.

The finance minister said the damage to the infrastructure due to terrorism, militancy, floods, earthquakes and other natural calamities coupled with increasing rate of poverty and unemployment because of the lack of industrial and economic activities in the province was an open secret. 

He cautioned that history would not forgive the federal government if it closed eyes and intentionally ignored the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to tackle the chronic issues facing the province.

Muzaffar Sayyid assured that the proposals and recommendations put forth in the seminar would be accommodated seriously and honest endeavours would be made to present a balanced welfare and developmental budget in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on June 6.

He said he would continue to take the colleagues from treasury and opposite benches and political strata on board and respond to their complaints and reservations.