NWFP Minister for Finance, Shah Raz Khan on Friday said the NWFP Assembly that umbrella pattern of development schemes has been adopted in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) of the province under compulsion of the World Bank (WB).
"The pattern has been adopted to show less number of development schemes as per advice of the World Bank," he said the house in his winding up speech on the provincial budget for financial year 2007-08. "The development schemes would be distributed with good intentions among all members without any discrimination," the finance minister made commitment in the house.
He further said that all out efforts had been made to make the budget people and society friendly. He said that for this purpose, the provincial government had held negotiations with all stakeholders to seek their suggestions and proposals in this regard. However, he admitted failure to arrange such meetings with members of the house.
The finance minister said that umbrella pattern of development schemes has weakness, saying the recruitment of 167 surplus teachers in two districts of Charsadda and Nowshera prove the flaws. But, he said this time the development schemes would be distributed amongst the districts on the basis of backwardness and poverty. He assured the house that the suggestions and proposals would be included in the budget to utilise them in the interest of the people.
He rejected the contentions of some Pakistan Muslim League-Q MPAs that Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) should be thankful to President General Pervez Musharraf for completion of the constitutional tenure of the assembly. He said in past the constitutional period of the assemblies was usurped by some elements and when themselves become part of the present set up then we completed our time with the grace of Allah Almighty.
Highlighting the achievements of MMA government in the province, he said that they had made efforts for fulfilment of the pledges made with the people. "We tried our best to utilise our mandate and power for the enforcement of Shariah and for this purpose passed an unanimous Shariat Bill from the house," he recalled. Under the said bill, he said the provincial government constituted three commissions for Islamisation of education and financial system. The commissions, he said had completed their work and their reports would be presented in the house shortly.
Minister said that the MMA government had prohibited the business of wine in the province and has cancelled the licenses of some hotel. Similarly, he said Islamic Banking system was also introduced in the Bank of Khyber. Initially, the number of such branches was only 8, but now the State Bank of Pakistan has permitted the bank to open five more branches of the Islamic banking system.
He said the province also passed Hasba Bill twice amid a hue and cry of paving path for Talibanisation in the province. However, he said for bringing the laws of the province at par with the religion, culture and traditions of the area.
The matter, he was challenged by President General Pervez Musharraf, which he attributed to the insult of the people of the province. "The people of the province will never forgive President Musharraf for this injustice with the province," he added.
Regarding developmental budget, he said during last four and half years it has registered 794 percent growth as compared to 55 years since the creation of the country. He said the house about the opening of the hundreds of new primary, middle, high and higher secondary schools and colleges in the province since the formation of MMA government in the province.
In response to the opposition criticism on deviation from the old stand on net-profit on the basis of AGN Qazi formula, he defended the decision of going to arbitration tribunal, saying the matter is now out of the drawing rooms and brought at ultimate end.
He said that there were no perfect figures and details about the claim of Rs 595 billion against Wapda in head of net profit. Furthermore, he said the provincial government established Wapda Cell to monitor the over billing of electricity bills and saved a big amount of Rs 1 billion annually for the province. In past, he said none of the provincial government had exhibit courage to take such step.
He said that due to better financial management, the provincial government during last four and half years has retired a federal government debt of Rs 13 billion thus saving Rs 3 billion annually in shape of mark-up. Next year, he said the provincial government is determined to retire another tranche of Rs 5 billion. The finance minister said that the province has gone to arbitration tribunal, as there was no alternative means for achievement of the rights of the province from Wapda and federal government. He said that the arbitration tribunal has given decision in favour of NWFP government.
Under the decision, Wapda has to pay an amount of Rs 110 billion to the province and accepted the payment of Rs 24 billion on annual basis as our constitutional right. Both Wapda and federal government accepted the decision, however, we were once were defrauded.
The provincial government, he said had been defrauded by former Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz." The people of the province will never forgive them and they will not remembered in good words in the history of the province," Shah Raz Khan concluded.