Daily Times

LAHORE: Provincial Minister for Finance, Excise & Taxation Zia Haider Rizvi has said that local governments have released their due monthly share for payment of wages and day-to-day expenditures under the Provincial Financial Award.

He said that no one has been allocated any additional funds, neither have crossed any limits to facilitate anyone unlawfully in this regard. Caretaker government does not believe in politics of prejudice neither does it have any political agenda.

“We have been given mandate of fair and transparent elections to maintain law and order and perform day to day affairs of the government,” he added.

“We hope that all the institutions including media will extend their full support to us, playing their pivotal role as best stakeholders,” the finance minister said.

He was talking to members of media in his office on Monday.

The provincial minister said that caretaker government did not have any authority or additional funds to facilitate anyone, adding that this gesture was completely wrong that caretaker government was favouring local governments before elections.

He apprised the media that local governments including the union councils have their due share in Provincial Financial Award.

Local governments as well as provincial governments are releasing funds only for payment of wages and daily expenditures for which existing method and formula has been adopted.

Zia Haider Rizvi said that members of the caretaker cabinet have committed many times on numerous occasions that their mandate is only to hold fair elections in peaceful atmosphere. He said that media is an important pillar of state which helps to promote good governance, adding that caretaker cabinet always welcomes media and it does not hide any facts from anyone.

He hoped that media will perform its professional responsibilities without paying any heed to any false propaganda or any disputable news.

He said that caretaker Finance Ministry has informed the media regarding the facts earlier and will perform its duties in future as well.

Published in Daily Times, July 10^th 2018.