KP CM stresses strict financial discipline

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has called for maintaining a strict financial discipline and discouraging the waste of resources.

The waste of resources is a history now. The government would ensure spending of each and every penny of the exchequer for the public welfare, he added, while addressing a meeting at the Chief Minister's Secretariat.

An official handout said Ministers Shahram Tarakai, Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Ishtiaq Urmar, Akbar Ayub, Chief Secretary Naveed Kamran Baloch, Additional Chief Secretary Shahzad Bangash, Secretary Finance Shakeel Qadir Khan, Secretary Energy Saleem Khan and others attended the meeting.

The chief minister highlighted the reforms agenda. He said he had already directed for stringent measures to ensure austerity at all levels of governance both at structural and agency levels.

He said he had already set the right direction that was part of the 100 days agenda for the next five years where the provincial government would demonstrate shrewdness in the decision making in the multifaceted areas to develop the natural advantages of different areas of the province.

The chief minister central districts had some other advantages that would be focused on to explore and exploit and his government is working on these lines. The KP government is committed to developing and the northern divisions both Hazara and Malakand which is the third area where tourism has unmatched but untapped potential, he added.

The chief minister said this approach had been made after a thorough deliberation and prepared while keeping in view the 100 days planning phase of his government.

Riaz Khan Daudzai: The provincial government has moved to formally abolish the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission (KPEC) as Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has approved the summary, which would be put forward to the cabinet tomorrow (Thursday).

The bill has also been drafted that would be approved by the cabinet, which would then be tabled in the provincial assembly to repeal the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission Act 2014.

The sources told The News that the provincial government took the step to wrap up somewhat the dormant anti-graft body in the light of its central leadership's decision to abolish it. They said the chief minister has signed the summary to pave the way for the abolition of the KPEC. The provincial government has earlier hinted at scrapping the KPEC for its being ineffective for the last two years. The assets of the KPEC would be handed over to the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE). According to the record of the Commission, its assets include about Rs300 million deposits and 14 vehicles and other fixtures.

Similarly, about 41 contract employees of the KPEC would be sacked while some of the 107 regular employees would be given golden handshake and others would be sent to the provincial surplus pool.

The cases pending with the Commission would be referred to the ACE, while those above its probe limit would be referred to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

It has already laid in the KPEC Act 2014 that it could initiate investigation or inquiry into any incident or an omission of a person or accused that constitutes an offence involving an amount of Rs50 million and above. And if it is found that the project is less than Rs50 million, the matter is to be referred to the ACE for further inquiry or investigation.

However, the document shared with The News revealed that the KPEC had filed 29 references in the Ehtesab Courts involving financial mismanagement of Rs3,724 billion, but the monetary value in 10 cases was less than Rs50 million.

Earlier, the opinions of the Law and Finance department were sought in connection with the abolition of the KPEC, disposal of its assets and pending inquiries and cases.

The Audit General of Pakistan (AGP) last month completed the audit of the KPEC's financial matters where it pointed out a number of factors that had rendered the provincial anti-graft body inapt.

It disclosed that KPEC had drawn Rs853.182 million during 2014-18 and utilised Rs537.412 million in this period. The KPEC in the 2015-16 financial year received Rs221.007 million, but it could utilise Rs196.577 million only. In 2016-17 fiscal years, it received Rs260.151 million and utilised Rs179.187 million. For 2017-18, it received Rs339.559 million and utilised Rs161.647 million. As a whole, the KPEC received Rs853.182 million during the last three financial years, but it could utilise Rs537.412 million only.