Irrigation Minister Riaz Khan here Monday informed KP Assembly that work on floods mitigation programme has been expedited to provide relief to masses.
He said for flood rehabilitation after 2022, work is ongoing on ADP projects under the south and north divisions by the provincial government.
The Minister was responding to MPA Aiman Jaleel call attention notice after she asked what plan the government has to prevent floods, saying that despite completion of projects, floods continue to occur.
In addition, an Emergency Flood Assistance Project (World Bank) is ongoing. PC-I for rehabilitation in Buner is being prepared.
The Chair remarked that the government is making efforts but it is difficult to completely prevent floods. Riaz Khan added that seven districts were most affected in 2022, and details of ongoing and completed projects have been provided.
Meanwhile, Awami National Party (ANP) parliamentary leader Arbab Usman initiated a debate on the province’s law and order situation, pointing out recent police actions against alleged land-grabbers and extortionists in Peshawar.
He said there is a need to review the police system dating back to the British era. He proposed starting with a pilot project at the district level and increasing police resources, salaries, and benefits.
He added that the merger of FATA, the Safe City project, computerized automatic systems, budget, revenue, and development are all necessities, adding that restructuring the police system has become inevitable.
JUI parliamentary leader Lutfur Rehman said that due to recent events in a neighboring country, adjacent countries are inevitably affected, but no preparations have been made to deal with such situations.
He said the KP government has not yet fulfilled its constitutional responsibilities and that there is a need to adopt a serious policy.
For the establishment of peace, a special committee of the House was formed and a grand jirga was convened.
Also, PML-N Member Amina Sardar sought details of ten years’ contracts (2015-2025) awarded by the Abbottabad Social Welfare Department.
He sought details during a session of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly held on under the chairmanship of Panel of Chairmen member Muhammad Idrees.
After the recitation from the Holy Quran and the national anthem, during question hour, she informed the House that for the last ten years the department has been awarding contracts to a father and son, questioning whether there is no other firm in Abbottabad that people from Charsadda and Peshawar are being facilitated instead.
She further said that during the purchase of food items for shelter homes, blind schools, and Dar-ul-Aman, the price of chicken meat was shown as Rs. 1,590 per kilogram, and asked whether any inquiry or accountability action had been taken, stressing the need for an investigation and requesting that the question be referred to the standing committee.
Minister for Housing Amjad Khan replied that the contracts were awarded in accordance with KPRA rules, through open tenders, and that the firm winning the tender is legally awarded the contract.
Law Minister Aftab Alam said that tenders are issued through e-PAD under KPRA rules on an annual basis, and it is not the case that only one firm has been awarded contracts. When the motion was put to vote, due to insufficient votes, the request of the concerned member was rejected.