Daily Times

The Punjab Assembly was told on Friday that the government hasn’t spent even a single penny from the Covid-19 fund generated by the government employees despite the fact that the amount was over a billion rupees.

This startling revelation was made by none other than Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht in the question-hour on Friday during the ongoing session of Punjab Assembly. As per the details, the finance minister told the lawmakers that over 1.1 billion rupees were deposited in the Covid-19 fund and this amount was generated by cutting the salaries of government employees. The one-day salary was deposited in the fund from the employees of grades 1 to 16. Two-day salary was deducted from grades 17 to 19 officers, while grade 20 and above officials contributed their three-day salary, the House was informed by the finance minister.

The opposition lawmakers grilled the PTI-led provincial government for not spending funds that were collected in the name of Covid-19 to control the pandemic. Hashim Jawan Bakht admitted that no funds had been spent at the moment, adding that the government is mulling over different options for the purpose of spending this amount. During the question-hour, PML-N lawmaker Rabia Nusrat put a query to the finance minister that why the funds are not being spent to control Covid-19. While expressing her displeasure, she said that Covid-19 is rapidly increasing and people are losing their lives but the government had done nothing to control the pandemic. The minister replied that the amount is deposited in the CM’s Covid-19 fund account and the government is making a policy to buy vaccine from this amount. To another query of an MPA, the finance minister said that the government hasn’t imposed any new tax on the flour, as its prices increased due to the principle of demand and supply.

Meanwhile, the government also introduced three bills in the Punjab Assembly which includes ‘The Emerson University Multan Bill’, ‘The Punjab Tourism, Culture and Heritage Authority Bill’ and ‘The Ravi Urban Development Authority (Amendment) Bill’. All the bills were referred to the concerned standing committees while seeking report within 60 days.

Earlier, the House proceedings started under chair of Mian Muhammad Shafi, panel of chairmen, with the laps of two hours from its scheduled time. Speaking on a point of order, PML-N MPA and former minister for education Rana Mashhood said that the government should accept the demands of protesting students as they are right in demanding online exams because classes were also conducted online. He suggested to constitute a parliamentary committee to look into the issues of students. The suggestions of Mashhood were also seconded by PPP’s parliamentary leader Syed Hassan Murtaza. The session was later adjourned to meet again on Monday afternoon.

Talking to media outside the Punjab Assembly, Opposition leader Hamza Shehbaz said he is unable to understand that PTI led government welcomed the transparency report which revealed increase in corruption in PTI’s government comparing the previous government. He said that there was a time when his party PMLN was taking the country on progress and now the country presents a deserted look in every filed. Most sectors had been ruined by the flawed polices of the present regime. Different scandals emerged but no action was taken against responsible belonged to PTI government. Accountability is confined only to the PMLN and other opposition parties, he maintained.