A heated debate on the budget continued for the third consecutive day between the treasury and opposition members here at the city district council hall on Wednesday. City Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil presided over the city council post-budget session to resume discussion on budget before it gets approval from the council.
Replying to the queries put by the opposition, member from the treasury bench, Abdul Jalil said that the city government had also given priority to the issues related to female section of the society and had allocated funds in the budget 2006-07 for their development.
Defending the city government's budget, he said it was balanced and well-elaborated budget ever presented in the council, adding that the City Nazim had taken the stakeholders, union councillors, and town nazims on board before finalising it.
On the demand by the opposition to increase the allocation of Rs 20 million for the development of Goths in the budget, Jalil said it was the prime object of the city government to develop the Goths. He added that the allocation of Rs 20 million was the beginning in this connection and as per requirement the fund would be increased.
Opposition member Naseem Khan asked the Naib Nazim, whether or not taxes had been imposed on the vehicles carrying fodder to the slaughterhouses of the city government would be included in the budget. Replying to him, Nasreen Jalil said that a resolution in this connection had not yet been adopted by the council, however she would let him know later.
Expressing concern, he said that the City Nazim's budget speech was contaminated with words against the nazims of union councils, which had disgraced them.
Criticising the discretionary fund increased for the City Nazim, Naseem said that Mustafa Kamal to facilitate himself had increased his discretionary fund while those (union nazims and councillors) who were directly answerable to masses were deprived of the Rs 6.5 million as their discretionary fund.
Mirza Afaq Baig of Haq Parest Panel alleged the former City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan for demolishing several houses in the Golden Town which were on the bank of a drain while he left the house of the council member Rafiq Ahmed of Al-Khidmat Panel intact.
Reacting to his allegations, several members of Al-Khidmat Panel stood up in protest and demanded from Naib Nazim to ask Afaq Baig to refrain from confronting and directing the opposition members. The house turned into a full-pledged cacophony, to bring the situation under control Naib Nazim allowed Rafiq Ahmed to answer the allegations, and directed the members of either side to take their seats and maintain the council's decorum.
Rafiq Ahmed while explaining the issue said that he had leased house in the Golden Town and it was located on the bank of the drain. Further elaborating his case, he said that not only at that time but also now he was ready to allow the demolition of his leased house in the greater interest of the area. The budget will be finally presented in the council today (Thursday) for approval.
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