Govt threatens would approach SC to get constitutional rights of the province: Mahmood Khan
PESHAWAR
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet in a special meeting held here on Tuesday with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair expressed the resolve to take every measure within its defined parameters to get constitutional rights of the province.
The forum decided that a strong voice would be raised at the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and the KP government would also approach the Supreme Court of Pakistan for the share of the province.
A special meeting of the Provincial Assembly will also be convened to take MPAs of all the political parties into confidence in this regard and if needed, a protest will be held at Islamabad.
The meeting, besides the cabinet members was also attended by the Provincial Chief
Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary, Senior Member Board of Revenue and Administrative
Secretaries of various government departments.
Addressing the Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister said that the provincial government has the right to use every possible option to get its due rights from the federation.
He, however, directed all the departments to make best use of all the resources of the province to increase its revenue further directing them to implement the austerity policy of the provincial government in letter and spirit.
Mahmood Khan directed the provincial departments to strictly implement the government’s decisions regarding ban on purchase of new vehicles and to avoid expenditures on unnecessary renovation of offices etc.
Mr Khan reiterated his resolve to continue the provision of subsidized wheat flour to the public and other public welfare initiatives despite financial constraints.
Provincial Minister for Finance Taimur Salim Jhagra and Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information & PRs Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif while briefing media persons about the decisions of the cabinet meeting, informed that the federal government has created financial problems for the KP government.
“The incumbent federal government had made no payment to the province on account of net hydel profit so far which is injustice with the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and sheer violation of the country’s constitution,” they added.
Taimur Saleem Jhagara maintained that the provincial government was expecting for alms rather than demanding the constitutional rights of the province, and will exercise the options of taking the matter in CCI as well as utilize all other constitutional and legal means.
The Finance Minister and SACM on Information further informed that the provincial government has been providing relief to the flood affectees despite financial constraints.
KP was the first province of the country which has initiated payment of compensation to the flood-stricken people.
Similarly, the provincial government, on the direction of the Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, provided aid of Rs 200 million to the flood affectees in Sindh and Balochistan provinces.
They informed that the provincial government had allocated an amount of Rs 14 billion for the rehabilitation and assistance of the flood affectees, whereas an amount of Rs 30billion out of the developmental budget had also been earmarked for the purpose, adding that an amount of Rs 20 billion will also be allocated for flood affectees through single treasury account.
They said that so far an amount of Rs 1 billion had been collected in BoK; and 20pc share of the same will be spent on the flood affectees of Balochistan and Sindh
To a question, Taimur Jaghra said “it had been the tradition of the politics of the province that opposition parties extend full support to the government for the constitutional rights of the province for which ground has been leveled by taking the opposition parties on board.”
He made it clear that provision of funds for the merged districts was the responsibility of the federal government until a fresh NFC award, adding that all the federating units had made a commitment to spare 3pc of their NFC shares but so far none of them has fulfilled its commitment except the KP.
The provincial finance minister added that financial issues as well as floods related problems should not be used for political point scoring, adding that the provincial government was ready to sit and talk with the federal government on all such issues under the umbrella of the constitution, reiterating the resolve that provincial government will fight for the rights of the province.
“The constitution of Pakistan clearly provides for the amicable resolution of issues between the federation and the federating units”, Taimur Jaghra stated and added that the federation will be forced to fulfill its responsibilities.
