KP CM Sohail Afridi. Photo: screenshot
PESHAWAR:
In a rare show of cross-party unity during the pre-budget debate in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, government and opposition members sharply criticized the provincial government for marginalizing elected representatives in the budget-making process, accusing the bureaucracy of dominating budget planning while ignoring the input of assembly members.
MPs from various parties have complained that the bureaucracy prepares the budget, which is then presented to the House simply for rubber-stamping approval, without much consideration of the suggestions of the elected representatives of the public. “We don’t know if the government or the institutions run the province,” several MPs remarked, highlighting a growing sense of marginalization among MPs.
Prominent speakers including Obaidur Rehman, Shazia Tahmas, Munir Hussain Laghmani, Ali Shah Khan, Ashbar Jadon, Shafiullah, Mehr Sultana, Arbab Waseem, Abdul Salam Afridi, Rehana Ismail, Ajab Gul, Khalid Khan, Khadija Bibi, Asif Masood and Farah Khan took the stage to express their concerns on several fronts.
They highlighted chronic delays in key infrastructure projects, including the Dir highway, which failed to meet deadlines despite funds allocated in the previous budget. The lawmakers stressed the need for adequate allocations this year to complete the project and called for the launch of revenue-generating initiatives, including hydropower projects that could simultaneously boost the province’s electricity supply and revenue.
Other demands included greater attention to girls’ education through the construction of schools in underserved areas, the establishment of vocational training centers and community schools for women, subsidies to farmers to strengthen agriculture, and pollution control measures in urban and rural areas. Speakers also urged setting up factories in mineral-rich areas like Karak and prioritizing development in neglected regions like Abbottabad, where no major work has been undertaken for over a decade.
Responding, Advisor to Chief Minister Finance Muzzammil Aslam assured the House that suggestions from MPAs, especially women members, would be incorporated in the upcoming Budget.
Besides, the Assembly decided to send a list of absent departmental secretaries to the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary. President Idris Khattak led the action after noticing their absence. PPP’s Ahmad Kundi suggested expanding the cabinet to include members who regularly attend assembly sessions.
In another development, the government issued a fresh notification after objections were raised over granting ministerial status to the advisor on finance. PPP’s Ahmad Kundi had challenged the earlier notification on constitutional grounds, arguing that a full minister must take due oath. The Minister of Justice and the Attorney General clarified the matter and the President acknowledged the correction.
Pre-budget discussions reflect growing demands for inclusive and transparent budgeting that prioritizes public needs, infrastructure provision and economic empowerment in the face of budgetary constraints. The session highlighted calls for stronger provincial advocacy with the federal government to secure legitimate shares under the NFC prize.
