Opposition boycotts NWFP budget session

The joint opposition in the NWFP Assembly boycotted Tuesday's proceedings of the budget session alleging that they were kept out of the consultative process of budget-making. The house was due to resume debate on the provincial budget after two-day. However, members of the joint opposition did not turn up.
Before the proceedings a delegation of the opposition comprising parliamentary leaders of PPP-Parliamentarians, ANP, PML-Q and PML-N met Speaker Bakht Jehan Khan and formally apprised him of their decision to boycott the proceedings of the house.
The opposition in their meeting with the Speaker complained that they were ignored in the formation of budget and development schemes in their constituencies. They said that during the last four and half years, the opposition has extended full cooperation to the government in smooth running of the house. The speaker constituted a committee comprising four provincial ministers including Minister for Finance, Shah Raz Khan, Fazal Ali Haqqani, Hussain Ahmad Kanju and Asif Iqbal Daudzai to hold negotiations with the opposition and report to him.
Speaking to the journalists in the opposition chamber, Anwar Kamal Khan of PML-N criticised the government for ignoring the opposition in the consultative process before finalising the budget proposal. He said that 80 percent fund of the annual development programme has been allocated for the ongoing schemes while only 20 percent fund would be spent on new projects.
He said that the government in the previous budget promised to construct schools and colleges in each constituency of the provincial assembly, but it was never fulfilled. He said that they had asked the Speaker to intervene but he also failed to resolve the problem.
Abdul Akbar Khan, parliamentary leader of PPP-Parliamentarians rejected the claims of tax-free budget saying the government has increased the volume of taxes. He said that the opposition was completely ignored in the identification of schemes for the annual development programme. He charged the government for bulldozing the budget through brute majority.
Bashir Ahmad Bilour of ANP alleged that the government has once adopted umbrella funding system in the budget, which have been distributed among ministers and blue-eyed members of the assembly. He said that the government has usurped the rights of the opposition members.
The leader of the opposition, Shahzada Gustasip Khan said that the joint opposition would prepare future line of action in a meeting scheduled in the provincial metropolis on Tuesday.
When the house resumed proceedings Pir Mohammad Khan, disgruntled member of MMA drew the attention of the chair towards the empty seats of opposition members. He said that the absence of the opposition is not good during debate on budget. He agreed with the contentions of opposition that the budget was one-sided and no one was taken into confidence in its formation.
The Provincial Minister for Information, Asif Iqbal Daudzai told the house that on the directives of chair they held meeting with the opposition and heard their complaints and apprehensions. During the meeting, he said that the delegation comprising of four ministers tried to pursue opposition to end their boycott. "We have also assured them of arranging their meeting with Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani so that they themselves tell their complaints to him," he said. However, he said that they left the house without replying.
About the continuation of the proceeding of the house, he said it is the prerogative of the chair to carry or to adjourn it. However, he said that the efforts of the treasury members to bring opposition to the house would continue.
Dr Zakir Shah and Amanat Shah, both from MMA also suggested adjournment of the proceedings for Tuesday to bring back opposition members to the house. The chair later adjourned the proceedings till 9:30am today (Wednesday).