KP CM writes to Mardan DC to spend development funds

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak’s written directives to Deputy Commissioner Mardan — asking him to issue and spend development funds in two constituencies of the Awami National Party (ANP) legislators on the wishes of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers — has created unrest among the people of the deprived constituencies.
?Though the chief minister had directed the deputy commissioner to allow the development funds on wish of the PTI workers, two ANP MPAs, Bahadur Khan and Gohar Ali Shah Bacha alleged that the chief minister had diverted all the development funds from their constituencies to the constituency of PTI MPA Iftikhar Mashwani in PF-26.
The chief minister has written an official letter, its copy is available with The News, to the deputy commissioner in response to application of the PTI MPA Iftikhar Mashwani.Iftikhar Mashwani had requested the chief minister for spending the development funds in PK-23 and PK-?28 on PTI workers’ wishes.
Also, the PTI MPA had sought Chief Minister Pervez Khattak’s approval for spending of the development funds on wishes of the party workers in his consistency.In his application to the chief minister, a copy of which is available with The News, he had brought it into his notice that there is development fund of Rs4.8 million for PK-28 and Rs1.8 million for PK-23 in the district council and wished that funds of the two constituencies should be spent on wishes of the PTI workers.
The PTI nominees had lost to ANP’s candidates during May 11, 2013 general election on PK-28 and PK-23.Gohar Ali Bacha was elected MPA from PK-28 while Bahadur Khan won election from PK-23.
In response to an application of the PTI MPA, an official letter sent from Chief Minister Secretariat has addressed deputy commissioner Mardan on March 26, 2015, directing him spend the developments fund as per wishes of the PTI workers in PK-26.
“I am directed to refer to the subject noted above into enclose herewith a copy ?of self explanatory request of Mr Iftikhar Ali Mashwani, PK-26, DDAC chairman Mardan, whereupon the Honourable Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been pleased to record the following “DC Mardan. “Pleaase sanction”,” it is stated in the letter sent from the Chief Minister Secretariat to DC Mardan.
It further states, “it is therefore requested that necessary action may kindly be taken in the light of the directive of Honourable Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, under intimation to this secretariat.”
ANP MPA Gohar Ali Shah Bacha told The News that the government had diverted all the development funds meant for his constituency PK-28 and another constituency of the ANP MPA Bahadur Khan in PK-23.
“I had feeling and that’s why I have given developmentschemes to the government instead of getting funds for development in my constituency. But the government diverted all funds from our constituencies to the constituency of PTI MPA Iftikhar Mashwani in PK-26,” he alleged.
He said PK-28 had a share of Rs11 million for development this year but now he would have no funds for development in his area.
“This is a clear-cut attempt by the PTI government to rig the local government election. I would have not complained had the PTI workers spent the development funds in my constituency but the government should have not transferred it to another area,” the ANP MPA said.
He said besides other small schemes, he had given three funeral prayer areas and pavement of streets.“The government had even approved my schemes and included in the annual development programme,” he said.
Gohar Bacha said the government had already diverted funds of another ANP MPA Bahadur Khan, PK-23, ?to PK-26.When reached on telephone, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani denied these reports.
“I can’t believe it that the chief minister would have done it. We provide funds on necessity bases and it is possible the funds were more required in another area ?than the area you are mentioning,” he said.When said this correspondent has official letters, Mushtaq Ghani said someone could have issued fake letters to defame the PTI government.“There is no way our government will do this. This is difference between us and others that we don’t differentiate between PTI MPAs and legislators of other parties,” he said.