SC judge questions legality of uplift funds to MPs

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court’s Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Wednesday questioned development funds approved for lawmakers by Prime Minister Imran Khan last week and said legal proceedings would be initiated if the move was found to be in contravention of the law.

On January 27, Prime Minister Imran Khan presided over a parliamentary party meeting of the ruling alliance led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) at Parliament House, during which he approved grants of Rs500 million for each member of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies.

The grants were allotted under sustainable development goals so the lawmakers could carry out development schemes in their constituencies. The decision was taken over longstanding demands from the lawmakers for release of development funds.

Justice Isa, while hearing a separate case quoted a newspaper report of the approval of development funds, and summoned the Attorney-General for Pakistan Khalid Jawed Khan (AGP) to apprise the court of the matter. “Is the release of the development funds by the Prime Minister in accordance with the Constitution, law and legal precedent?” he asked.

Justice Isa asked the AGP to give the court an update on the issue based on the government’s response. He said if the release of funds was valid according to the Constitution and the law, the matter would be closed. He added, however, that if it was in contravention of the law, action would be taken.

The AGP responded that he would inform the court after receiving instructions from the government and further gave assurances that whatever action is taken will be in the light of the law, Constitution and legal precedents.

Justice Isa said the matter would be referred to the Chief Justice for the formation of a bench, in case it warranted the initiation of legal proceedings.

The court issued notices to the AGP and the advocates general of all provinces for when the case would be taken up for hearing before a two member bench headed by Justice Isa.

In the meeting last week, Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari and MNA Ghazala Saifi had also raised their voices in the meeting, seeking a development grant for women lawmakers. “We are working alongside male MPs and should also be allocated funds to address the issues of our constituencies,” the minister had said.

In response, the Prime Minister had reprimanded them and said he should not be blackmailed. “Those who are elected on the reserved seats do not have any constituency,” he had said, according to Geo News.