S. A Haidri;
Muzaffarabad: Pakistan People’s Party Azad Jammu and Kashmir (PPP AJK) chapter President Chaudhary Latif Akbar has said that incumbent government of AJK has miserably failed to consume its development budget.
“Only 65% percent budget has been utilized in 11 months of current fiscal year and remaining budget will get lapse”, Akbar said this while addressing a press conference in Central Press Club Muzaffarabad here on Wednesday.
, President PPP reiterated that the government acquired development budget of 21 billion 48 billion rupees for current fiscal year, out of which 13 billion 93 million was spent in 11 months, while 7 billion and 54 million rupees could not be consumed.
He lamented that present government of PML-N has failed to give any mega-project despite of having double development budget, “all mega projects within the State were given by PPP including Universities, Medical colleges and State of the Art main roads and the people of the state are still being facilitated” he said.
He said that traffic issue have been observed an massive problem in the Capital of the State and the State of the art mega project ‘Shah Sultan bridge’ was dropped only to save a Minister’s personal property, although this project was the part of Annual Development Project (ADP).
Commenting on the upcoming elections in Pakistan, he said that the federal and provincial assemblies are going to present a supplementary budget due to upcoming elections, however, KPK government was not even able to present the budget due to lack of majority in the government.
He expressed astonishment, saying that the budget in Pakistan is being presented owing to elections but why AJK government is presenting budget before its term, “Is the Government of AJK in risk of elimination?” he asked.
He expressed his concerns that meanwhile the government is going to present its budget before tenure and on the other hand, the previous budget is not fully paid, “this is to debit the official cheques issued on the work of previous fiscal year work by government, which will affect the next fiscal year” he added.
Talking on Mian Nawaz Sharif statement regarding Mumbai attacks, Chaudhary Latif Akbar condemned it, saying that Pakistan’s existence and stability is inevitable for Kashmir freedom movement.
He said that 7 decades long Kashmir freedom movement has been badly ruined by Mian Nawaz Sharif and he didn’t keep in view the national security of the country beyond his personality.
Latif Akbar criticized the government that there was no any chairman of the Bureau of Accountability Bureau in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. “There are several applications pending in Accountability Bureau and department is facing difficulties due to unavailability of chairman; many persons in the State have more resources than their income and are needed to be accountable”, Akbar maintained.
He said that the hammering of the merit in AJK has stunned the slogan of merit and good governance, he said, “530 senior teachers were appointed according to the list given by PML-N MLAs and these inductions were made without Public Service Commission” he said.
Speaking of the Neelum valley accident, he expressed his condolences to the heirs of injured and dead, in addition he said that the local people and relief teams saved many lives by playing their starring role and set an example of hospitality.
He said that they have informed the administration about substandard condition of the bridge before but nobody gave any attention, he demanded that stern action should be taken against the culprits who were responsible for the negligence of safety precautions besides the construction of the bridge.
Ex-Minister Syed Bazil Ali Naqvi, Hanif Awan, Tariq Saeed, Shaukat Javed Mir, Raja Basharat, Sheikh Azhar, Tanveer Qureshi, Shahnawaz, Shagufta Noreen Kazmi, Amara Ali, Danyal Iqbal and others were also present on the event.