PTI govt opposes formation of steering committee by Centre

PESHAWAR: The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday opposed the formation of a steering committee by the federal government for monitoring, identifying and implementation of developmental works in the newly merged tribal districts of the province.

Through a resolution the treasury benches asked the federal government to take back the notification about the formation of the steering committee as the provincial assembly considered it direct intervention in the affairs of provincial government.

The resolution stated the federal government must release funds to the province, including a special fund for 10-year developmental plan and three percent share in National Finance Commission (NFC) Award for merged districts.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor will chair the steering committee while four MNAs from tribal districts and two members of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly will be part of the committee that will identify and monitor development projects in merged districts. PTI MPA Ajmal Khan from Bajaur moved the resolution that was passed by majority while three MPAs from tribal districts opposed it on the ground that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had ignored them in the developmental funds and projects. PTI MPA Ajmal Khan said that the federal government had constituted a steering committee for Accelerated Implementation Programme (AIP) in tribal districts that would identify and recommend sites for developmental projects.

“This is an unconstitutional, illegal and undemocratic step on the part of the federal government as under the 18th Amendment, the provincial government will identify and release funds for the developmental works in the province,” he said.

He added the move was also against the spirit of 25th Constitutional Amendment under which former tribal areas became part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said the provincial government must oppose and challenge it in the courts and other platforms like Council of Common Interests and the National Finance Commission Award. Minister for Law Aftab Alam said the federal government and some political parties wanted to politicize the developmental fund and projects meant for tribal districts. “If the federal government is really interested in the development of tribal districts, it must release funds for a 10-year developmental plan and its due share in the NFC Award,” he said. He added that the federal government could initiate projects under the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in merged districts.

Awami National Party’s Nisar Baz said the PTI government had ignored him and two other opposition MPAs from tribal districts in the developmental funds and projects. He claimed that unelected people were tasked with identifying and monitoring uplift work in his constituency in Bajaur. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly passed another resolution condemning the closure of the utility stores. It said the move would hit the poor families hard and render hundreds of employees jobless.

PTI MPA Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani had moved the resolution, which said the utility stores had been established to provide essentials to people at subsidized rates. He asked the federal government to reverse its decision as the have-nots could not buy daily use items due to soaring prices. The session was adjourned till Friday, January 31.