NWFP Assembly rejects hike in Hajj fare

The NWFP Assembly on Thursday rejected the decision of 10 percent increase in Hajj fare by the federal cabinet through passage of a unanimous resolution after terming liable to big injustice with the people of the country.
The matter was raised by Zubaida Khatoon, a woman MPA of the treasury benches through a Point of Order attributing the decision of the federal cabinet regarding increase in Haj fares a big injustice with the people. She sought the permission of the chair to present a resolution in that regard. Leader of the Opposition, Shahzada Gustasip Khan also supported the contentions of the woman MPA and said that the federal government had not done any good. But, he said that how much the provincial government had fulfilled its responsibilities and asked the government to reply.
The Speaker, Bakht Jehan Khan, who was chairing the proceedings, suspended Rule 124 of the House under Rule No 240 allowing the mover to move the resolution. The resolution said that the provincial assembly demands the provincial government to make a demand with federal government regarding withdrawal of the 10 percent increase in Haj fares. The House adopted the resolution unanimously.
Bashir Ahmad Bilour, parliamentary leader of ANP called for amendment in the resolution to demand 20 percent cut in the Haj fare. However, Provincial Minister for Finance, Shah Raz Khan and Minister for Religious Affairs opposed the amendment saying that Bilour should bring separate resolution in this regard. They assured him of full support in the passage of the resolution from the House.
The Provincial Minister for Religious Affairs, Maulana Amanullah Haqqani told the House that in this regard he will write a letter to federal government to make them aware of the concern of the members of provincial legislature.
Later, in concluding speech on supplementary budget, Provincial Minister for Finance, Shah Raz Khan told the House that increase in the supplementary budget was made in the interest of the people. "The increase was not made to benefit a particular district, but a big part of it would be spent on development of districts, which have been destroyed by the natural disasters," the minister assured.
He said that Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has announced a grant of Rs 2 million to bar associations of Peshawar and other districts of the province. He said that lawyers' community had upheld the honour of democracy and playing the role of the political parties in the country.
Shah Raz Khan was optimistic about the success of the movement of lawyer's community saying verdict in Chief Justice case should be in the light of law.
He said that Frontier Police during last four years had rendered a number sacrifices and the MMA government, he added instead of using it for achieving political objectives had limited it to their professional duties. He said that it is the credit of MMA in the province that it had not made NWFP as graveyard of the development projects. He said that in past, development schemes were initiated for five years, but now he said it have been completed within a period of two years.
The finance minister said that the provincial government had played laudable role for achievement of the rights of the province in National Finance Commission (NFC) Award and compelled Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) to recognise the right of Rs 110 billion of the province.
Similarly, he said that Wapda had also accepted the stand of the province that the net-profit on hydropower generation would be increased 10 percent each year. However, he said federal government is not giving constitutional right to punish the MMA government in the province for its good performance.
He said that besides net-profit, the amount collected in the head of tobacco cess is also the right of the province and the provincial govt will not beg before anybody in this regard. He said that they will not thank any military general for completion of their five year period as the right was given to us by the people for whom we are thankful to Allah Almighty and people of the province. "In the past military generals usurped the right of democratically elected governments then how we can express thanks to them," he concluded.