Daily Times

KARACHI: Two opposition lawmakers belonging to Pakistan Muslim League Functional (PML-F) have approached the Sindh High Court accusing the Sindh government of discriminating against their constituents in release of funds for uplift schemes.

PML-F MPA Nusrat Sehar Abbasi and Pir Rashid Shah have petitioned the high court seeking its directives for the government to release funds for development projects to be executed in their respective constituencies.

The petitioners cited Sindh chief secretary, planning and development department’s secretary, Sindh chief minister’s principal secretary and other provincial authorities as respondents.

The legislators, represented by Advocate Mulla Bux Khattian, alleged that their constituents were being meted out unjust treatment in terms of withholding funds for development schemes to be undertaken in their areas only because of their political affiliation.

Ms Abbasi, elected on a general seat reserved for women, and Pir Rashid Shah, MPA from Khairpur, submitted that the local authorities had approved their uplift projects, however they couldn’t be executed for short of funds.

They pleaded to the judges to direct the provincial government to release funds for the approved development schemes.

A similar petition filed by Pakistan Muslims League Nawaz’s (PML-N) lawmakers against alleged discrimination in release of funds for uplift schemes was pending disposal in the court.

The petition was filed by MNA Syed Ayaz Ali Shah Shirazi (NA-238), MPA Syed Aijaz Ali Shah Shirazi (PS-84), MPA Syed Ameer Hyder Shah Shirazi (PS-85), and MPA Syed Shah Hussain Shah Shirazi (PS-86).

In the petition, they had submitted that Sindh chief minister had allocated an amount of Rs40 million for financial year 2013-14 for development schemes to be executed through the lawmakers in the respective constituencies across the province.

The provincial authorities had sent the petitioners a letter on November 18, 2013, asking them to submit their proposals with regard to development schemes, they said. Their proposals were rejected because of the political rivalry, they alleged.

They submitted that the ruling party had adopted a biased attitude towards the lawmakers of Thatta and their supporters as several false and fabricated cases have been registered against them to victimize them.

The petitioners had complained to the judges that the lawmakers belonging to the ruling party had been awarded funds, whereas they were discriminated against. Thatta was a backward district and needed funds immediately for its infrastructural developments, yet it was deprived of funds, rued the PML-N lawmakers.

They pleaded to the court to direct the authorities to submit before it the complete record of uplift funds awarded to the lawmakers in the last three to four years. The court was also requested to order the provincial government to release funds for proposed developmental schemes in Thatta.