LAHORE, June 26: PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi says sense of deprivation is on the rise in the province because of “one-man show” in administrating Punjab.

In a statement on Friday, he said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had concentrated powers of inspector-general down to a low paid clerk and cabinet members were helpless in taking any decision regarding their departments.

LAHORE – PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi has said that at the heart of the clash between doctors and workers of Rescue 1122 lie a sick mindset of the Punjab government which wants to minimize the role of the rescue service being the brainchild of former chief minister Ch. Pervaiz Elahi.
In a statement issued here on Tuesday, Moonis Elahi alleged that the clash between two services reflected the failure of Punjab government.
He was of the view that both the aggrieved parties were serving a noble cause and government could play its role to diffuse the tension rather than adding fuel to fire.
He claimed that Rescue 1122 workers and doctors were playing their role to save human lives very efficiently but government was not ready to even tolerate this project initiated by the former government.
He was of the view that the Punjab government’s behavior towards Rescue 1122 service had been discriminatory and Punjab government after making number of failed attempts to abolish this service had now started to make it a controversial. He claimed that had the Punjab government been fair and just then confrontation between the two services would not have taken place.

LAHORE, June 22: The government’s claim that no new tax has been levied in the 2009-10 budget was challenged by an opposition member during the debate on the financial plan for the next fiscal during the Punjab Assembly session here on Monday.

Except a few, most of the legislators who got opportunity to submit their suggestions preferred only commenting on the document. For the opposition, the budget proposals were ‘antipeople’ while the treasury members termed these ‘exemplary’.

Presenting statistics, PML-Q’s Mohsin Khan Leghari informed the house that tax had been enhanced manifold under several heads, besides the government had spent beyond its allocated limits last year.

He said Rs126 million were allocated for the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in the budget 2008-09, but the supplementary budget revealed the expenditures actually stood at Rs268 million. Similarly, Rs47 million were allocated for VIP flights, but Rs85 million were spent.

In the 2009-10 budget, Mr Leghari said, the government had increased tax collection target for agriculture income form last years’ Rs600 million to Rs1,100 million, on property from Rs500 million to Rs10,450 million, land revenue from 4,100 million to Rs5,060 million, excise from 1,300 to Rs1,450 million, sales tax from 3,120 million to 8,759 million, stamps from 6,400 million to Rs11,000 million, motor vehicle from Rs4,300 to Rs7,624 million, toll tax from Rs5,00 million to Rs1,100 million, building rent from Rs240,000 to Rs48million and entertainment from Rs15 million to Rs77 million.

“This shows how much increase the government has introduced in taxes in the current budget. The masses will eventually have to face the brunt of this increase in the from of direct or indirect taxes,” Leghari said.

He said the Shahbaz government could not honour the commitments it made in the previous budget. “Rs1 billion were allocated in the 2008-09 budget for providing houses to the poor.

Besides it had planned to increase electricity generation by 350MW and also had to spend Rs200 million and Rs500 million for the welfare of brilliant students and teachers, respectively. Bus service was also planned for the students of seven districts. The constitution of price control boards also remained confined to papers.” Mr Leghari said the government in the last budget had also announced Rs2,000 million and Rs1,000 million subsidy on agriculture tube-wells and transport, respectively, but did not spent a penny for the purpose.

Out of Rs13,000 million subsidy announced on food items, the government paid only Rs1,935 million, he added.

Similarly, he said the government wrote off only Rs450 million loans of widows as against Rs1,000 million it had promised in the previous budget.

Moonis Elahi joined Mr Leghari in ‘exposing lavish spending’ of the PML-N government.
He said the chief minister’s secretariat had burdened the provincial exchequer with an additional Rs150 million. “Reducing the education budget by Rs10 billion and using the money for paying the chief minister’s plane and chopper flights bills and other expenses amounts to destroying the already fragile education sector in the province,” he commented.

The junior Elahi further said the Shahbaz government’s ‘antieducation’ policies had been resulting in decline in literacy and enrolment rates. He also criticised the government for using Zakat and Baitul Maal funds for his ‘Sasti Roti politics’.

He was of the view that subsidy on wheat should have been of fered instead of spending millions of rupees for the roti scheme which was aimed at ‘self promotion’.

He was also critical of the government for purchasing a fleet of luxury cars for ‘nonelected’ chairpersons of task forces against its much-trumpeted austerity campaign.

He said an amount of Rs35 million was allocated for the gifts and entertainment head last year, but the Shahbaz government had spent over Rs100 million, instead.

Calling the budget an ‘incomplete financial document,’ Mr Elahi said: “It is report of the extravagant and whimsical expenses of the Shahbaz Raj.” Sagheera Islam of PPP said bureaucrats had prepared the budget and even Finance Minister Tanvir Ashraf Kaira was not consulted in the process. She suggested that the salary of the government employees should be increased up to at least 25 per cent.

Dr Faiza Asghar suggested upgrading of the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau to a department under a separate ministry. She said rehabilitation centres should be opened for mentally-retarded children in all districts of the province.

Senior Minister Raja Riaz responded that her suggestions would be given a serious thought.
The opposition members started passing remarks during the speech of ‘unification bloc’ head Dr Tahir Ali Javed who was all praise for Shahbaz Sharif and his policies.

PPP’s Azma Bokari alleged the Punjab government had not facilitated the blood camps the PPP had set up across the province to mark its slain chairperson Benazir Bhutto’s birthday.

Moeen Watto, Rahila Khadim Husain, Farah Deeba, Mehr Ijaz, Rana Munawar, Shagufta Shaikh, Rai Jamil, Khadeeja Omar and Rai Aslam Khan also spoke.

LAHORE: Spending on transport and entertainment at the Chief Minister’s (CM’s) Secretariat far exceeded budget allocations for 2008-09, despite official promises to cut unnecessary expenditure, opposition MPA Moonis Elahi said in the Punjab Assembly on Monday.

When they came to power, members of the PML-N-led government accused their predecessors of overspending on cars and paraded these vehicles before the media, said Moonis, whose father Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi headed the previous administration.

But the same government budgeted Rs 3.5 million for transport at the CM’s Secretariat and spent Rs 200 million; budgeted Rs 5 million for helicopters and planes, but spent Rs 25 million; and budgeted Rs 35 million for gifts and entertainment, but spent Rs 100 million, he said.
Moonis said the government had budgeted Rs 120 million for the CM’s Secretariat but spent Rs 270 million. “If they can’t control the budget for the CM’s Secretariat, how can they control the budget for the entire province?” he asked.

The opposition MPA also criticised the Sasti Roti scheme, saying it made far more economic sense to subsidise wheat. He named a shop in Gawalmandi, home constituency of the Sharif brother, that was selling roti for Rs 3 each. He also slammed the government’s record on education, saying differences with district governments meant Rs 11 billion for education remained unspent in the 2008-09 budget, and the next budget contained Rs 10 billion less for education. staff report

THE Punjab government on Monday received serious flak from the opposition for allegedly neglecting the education sector, using Zakat and Baitul Maal funds for promoting ‘Sasti Roti politics’ and spending millions on entertainment rather than providing real relief to the poor.
Chaudhry Moonis Elahi, son of PML-Q Punjab president and former Chief Minister, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, in his post-budget speech in the Punjab Assembly, lambasted the provincial government for its “failure to control lavish expenses, particularly of the CM’s Secretariat as Rs 270 million was on it spent instead of last year’s approved Rs 120 million.”
He flayed burdening the provincial exchequer with an additional Rs 150 million in the ‘Shahbaz Raj.’ Equally supported by his party members, the junior Chaudhry also slated the alleged misuse of powers and resources by the Punjab government and termed the budget a visionless and incomplete document carrying nothing for the poor.
The PA proceedings started with a delay of a few minutes with Deputy Speaker Rana Mashood Ahmed Khan in the chair. PPP MPA Abdul Qadir Gillani, son of Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, on a point of order, congratulated the Pakistan cricket team for its historic victory in the Twenty-20 Cricket World Cup and told the House that a special reception would be held for the team by the federal government. Senior Punjab Minister Raja Riaz Ahmed, on a point of order, hailed the spirit shown by people on the 56th birth anniversary of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. He also praised PML-Q MPA Samina Khawar Hayat and her husband for donating blood on the occasion.
Later, Moonis Elahi was given the floor to start his speech for the budget. From the very outset of his speech, the junior Chaudhry was critical of the PML-N led Punjab government for its bad governance and inability to provide relief to the poor population of the province. Moonis Elahi said it was really awful that the Punjab government had sacrificed the provincial education budget at the altar of its whimsical and extravagant spending of public funds. He said the reduction of Rs 10 billion in the educational budget and use of the money to “foot the CM’s plane and chopper flying bills were tantamount to destroy the already fragile education sector of the province.”
He said that anti-education policies of the Shahbaz government had resulted in a steep decline of provincial literacy and enrolment rates. Coming hard on the provincial government for “fooling the nation” in the name of ‘Sasti Roti,’ he said even in Gawalmandi, the home constituency of the Sharifs, a Tandoor working in Bismillah Hotel was selling Roti at Rs 3, a clear proof of the government’s inefficiency and failure.
He said had subsidy on wheat been offered instead of spending millions of rupees on the promotion and publicity of ‘Sasti Roti,’ the entire population of the province could have benefited. He said the use of Zakat and Baitul Maal funds for fraudulent ‘Sasti Roti politics’ was another example of the misuse of power and resources and equivalent to murdering and depriving the innocent.
Criticising the Punjab government for setting up many task forces, he said the PML-N government was spending billions of rupees in the province on these task forces, which “comprised incompetent and unelected favourites.
He said these task forces were a huge burden on public resources and were a proof of the difference between claims and deeds of the Shahbaz government. He said that Rs 35 million was allocated for ìthe gift and entertainment budgetî of the Punjab government last year but the government had spent Rs 100 million. He said that the poor population of the province was making its both ends meet with great difficulty and asked that for whose entertainment Rs 100 million had been spent by the government.
Earlier, PPP legislator Azma Bokhari on a point of order also demanded explanation from Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan for the poor coordination of Punjab Health Department on the eve of Benazir Bhutto’s 56th birth anniversary.
However, Raja Riaz Ahmed and not Rana Sanaullah on the occasion said if the honourable member had any complaint, she must inform him. This could not satisfy Azma who insisted that Rana Sanaullah to explain the reason of this cooperation before the entire House. Nevertheless, Deputy Speaker Rana Mashood asked Azma to let the budget proceedings continue and let the senior minister settle the issue. PPP legislator from Attock, Shahan Malik on a point of order informed the House that the forests in Kala Chita Range were on fire and proper attention must be paid by the Forest department. He said the stealing of wood had become a common routine there and whenever any notice was taken, the forests were deliberately set on fire which was really shocking. Deputy Speaker Rana Mashood on the occasion said the matter was really very important and asked the Minister concerned (Ahmed Ali Aulakh) to acquire report of it.
Asif Manzoor Mohal, a PML-N MPA from Bahawalnagar hailed the Punjab government for presenting a public-friendly budget. He suggested that an agricultural university should be established in Bahawalpur, which would yield very positive results for the agricultural sector for the entire belt of southern Punjab.
Makhdoom Irtiza, a PPP legislator from Rahimyar Khan in his budget speech stated that allocation of Rs 43 billion for police would not help improve the Thana culture. He said during the last tenure of PML-Q, a lot allocation was made for the police and it was well equipped but it could not change the traditional Thana culture. He further said that allowance for MPAs should also be increased. Besides, a privilege motion moved by PML-Q MPA Samina Khawar Hayat was disposed of.

LAHORE- During budget debate in Punjab Assembly on Monday, the Opposition censured the Treasury for not maintaining financial discipline in its expenditures and committing what it called ‘gross anomalies’ in the present budget.

The Treasury members, on the other hand, termed it an excellent document, containing panacea for problems of common man.

According to them, this was the best possible budget presented at a time when country’s economy had been hit hard by global recession and growing menace of terrorism. They praised it as a poor-friendly and tax-free budget that would not burden the common man in any way.
While majority of members who took part in Monday’s Assembly debate on the budget either criticised or acclaimed it merely for political point scoring, a few however, had studied the document in detail and made a fair comment on it.

It was good to see Finance Minister Tanvir Ashraf Kaira taking notes of suggestions coming from assembly members about the new budgetary proposals. The Minister remained present in the House throughout the debate, recording concerns of legislators about the new budget.

Leader of PML-Q, Moonis Elahi during his speech strongly criticised the alleged lavish spending on CM’s Secretariat in the concluding financial year while pointing out certain financial anomalies in the new budget.

He pointed out that approved budget for the CM Secretariat last year was around Rs. 120 million, but the govt burdened the provincial exchequer by spending an additional amount of Rs. 150 million.

He described it govt’s failure in controlling the lavish expenses of the CM secretariat and a glaring proof of its incompetence in managing financial affairs of the province.

Moonis also criticised the govt for what he called a drastic cut in education budget. He alleged that Rs. 10 billion taken out of education budget, would be utilised to foot the bill of CM’s plane and chopper.

He was highly critical of the use of Zakat and Baitulmaal funds for what he called the ‘fraudulent sasti roti politics’of the Shahbaz government.

The PML-Q leader was of the view that had the Government offered subsidy on wheat instead of spending millions on the promotion and publicity of the sasti roti scheme, the entire population of the province could have enjoyed a cheaper roti.

He remarked that at present the said scheme was only focused at selected urban areas and even the tandoors located in the Sharif’s home constituency in Lahore were not selling the roti at less than Rs. 3.

He accused Shahbaz government of playing up with the issue of cars purchased by the previous govt and pointed out that in stark contrast to its announcement of observing austerity, the Shahbaz government was spending billions of rupees on buying new cars for mushrooming task forces in the province, comprising un-elected and incompetent favourites.

He told the House that an amount of Rs 35 million was allocated previous year under the head of gifts and entertainment, but Shahbaz government had spent over Rs 100 million instead. Moonis reminded the rulers of their promises of eliminating poverty and diverted attention of House towards what he termed wide spread poverty and hunger in the province. He called the budget an incomplete financial document and a report of the ‘extravagant and whimsical expenses of the Shahbaz Raj’.

This was maiden speech by young Moonis Elahi in the House on Punjab budget, but he seemed to have full grasp on the subject. At least he seemed to have full understanding of what he was talking about.

Another Opposition member, Mohsin Leghari was critical of the Government for its inability to implement different schemes announced in the previous budget. Counting failures of Punjab Government in this regard, Leghari mentioned the plans of establishing price control boards, low cost housing schemes for the poor, performance based incentives for teachers, plying of air-conditioned buses for school children in seven major cities and generation of 350MW of electricity, and said that neither of them was implemented in the concluding year.

He wondered that if no new tax has been levied in the current budget than as to how the Government has enhanced tax collection target for agri-tax from Rs 600 million (previous year) to Rs 1100 million and for property tax from Rs 5000 million (previous year) to Rs 1,000 million.

A PML-Q member Dr. Faiza Asghar gave some good suggestions regarding protection of destitute children. She said that child protection bureau, which she was heading at the moment, should be given the status of a full-fledged department with its own minister. She also called for setting up of child protection centres in all districts.

Senior Minister Raja Riaz assured her that Government would consider her suggestions and try to implement them.

Leader of Pakistan Muslim League, Moonis Elahi during his speech in the current budget session of the Punjab Assembly on Monday strongly criticized the lavish expenses incurred by the Punjab Chief Minster secretariat in the concluding financial year and pointed out the gross financial anomalies in the new budget.

Moonis Elahi said Punjab government’s failure in controlling the lavish expenses of the CM secretariat was a glaring proof of this government’s incompetency in managing the budget of the entire province.

Moonis Elahi pointed out that the approved last year’s budget of the CM secretariat was around Rs. 120 million but instead Rs. 270 million was spent thus burdening the provincial exchequer with an additional Rs. 150 Million.

Moonis Elahi remarked that the Punjab government had no qualms in even sacrificing the provincial education budget at the altar of their whimsical and extravagant spending of the public funds. He said that by reducing the education department’s budget by an alarming Rs. 10 billion and using this money to foot the CM’s plane and chopper flying bills and similar other extra constitutional expenses tantamount to destroying the already fragile education sector of the province.

Moonis Elahi said that Shahbaz government’s anti education policies had resulted in a steep decline of the provincial literacy and enrolment rates.

Moonis remarked that the misuse of power and resources by the rulers was equivalent to murdering and depriving the innocent. He was highly critical of the use of Zakat and Bait ul mal funds for the fraudulent “Sasti Roti Politics” of the Shahbaz government.

Moonis said that had subsidy on wheat been offered instead of spending crores on the promotion and publicity of the “Sasti Roti Scam”the entire population of the province could have enjoyed a cheaper chappati.

Moonis remarked that at present the said scheme is only focused at select urban areas and even the tandoors located in the Sharif’s home constituency in Lahore were not selling the roti at less than Rs. 3.

Moonis Elahi reminded the house of the way the Shahbaz government had played up the issue of cars purchased by the previous government and pointed out that in stark contrast to their announcement of observing austerity, the Shahbaz government was spending billions of public rupees on buying new cars for mushrooming task forces in the province which comprised their unelected and incompetent favorites.

These tack forces he further said were a huge drain on public resources and were a testimonial to the difference in the words and deeds of the Shahbaz government.

Moonis Elahi pointed out that an amount of 35 million was allocated in the gifts and entertainment budget of the Punjab government last year but the Shahbaz government had spent over Rs. 100 million instead.

Moonis Elahi reminded the house of the promises of eliminating poverty and observing austerity made by the Shahbaz government at their outset and pointed out at their dismal performance resulting in wide spread poverty and hunger in the province.

He said that this budget was an incomplete financial document and therefore not a budget but a report of the extravagant and whimsical expenses of the “Shahbaz Raj”.

Mohtram Moonis Elahi Shahb,

Bhai, aap ney to kal Punjab Assembly mein kamal hi kar diya. Mohtram Zulfiqar Khosa sahib ko budget ijlas mein hukumat kay budget manufacturing defects pur chunke aap ki party ki sachiy batein bohat karwi lug rahi thein, iss liye unhoon nay muh ka zaiqa badlany kay liye manufacturing defects ka ilzam aap kee jamat par laga diya or phir sahib, aap nay unke kaya khhub andaz mein or aarhay hatoon liya. Wah!! Maza aa giya.

Khushi iss baat ki hui kay aap nay sir utha kar or himmat kay sath khosa jaiasay dhag Lota siyasat daan ko charun shanay chit kar diya.

From
Jam Fiaz
Khanpur - Pakistan

Saturday, June 20, 2009, Lahore


Arguments between a junior and a seasoned legislator caused uproar in the Punjab Assembly, igniting a blame game between treasury and opposition benches on Friday.

Chaudhry Moonis Elahi of the PML-Q and Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa of the PML-N exchanged heated words during the PA session. Tension was diffused when Deputy Speaker Rana Mashood Ahmed Khan intervened and asked both sides to calm down and pay attention towards the budget session.The situation became tense during a point of order when Khosa said there was a ‘manufacturing defect’ in the formation of the PML-Q and it was the reason why it was facing departure of legislators.


Moonis on a point of order said that he remembered that Khosa had visited Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at a time when Nawaz Sharif was in London. He said during the meeting Khosa had agreed to change his loyalty. Moonis Elahi told the House that he could also provide details of what Khosa had discussed with his father(Pervaiz) regarding his sons.This infuriated Khosa who had returned to the Punjab Assembly for the ninth time. Khosa in reply called the son of the former chief minister ‘Moonis Nutt’ which elicited a strong reaction from the opposition.


The opposition termed Khosa’s remark a ‘personal attack’ on Moonis.Continuing his speech, Khosa said that Nawaz Sharif had showered the family of Chaudhrys with personal favours and that he (Khosa) could also disclose what Chaudhrys had discussed with him (Nawaz). Moonis said he could also say a lot before the House but his elders had taught him the importance of respecting others which Khosa probably hadn’t taught to his sons.


This once again infuriated the PML-N camp. Rana Mohammed Arshad of the PML-N stood up and criticized Moonis and his supporters for being a part of a dictatorial regime. PML-Q women legislators, including Amna Ulfat, Samina Khawar Hayat kept criticizing the PML-N leadership and the deputy speaker had to intervene and ask the members to calm down.


Moonis Elahi on a point of order earlier has also criticized Law Minister Rana Sana Ullah Khan for calling PML-Q a party of ‘turncoats’. Moonis, who remained very vocal in the House on Friday, stated that in past Rana Sana Ullah Khan was a part of the PPP and used to criticise the PML-N Quaid in the same House.


Sher Ali Khan of the PML-Q urged the PML-N leadership to lead by example and discourage the formation of forward bloc.

سابق وزیر اعلی پنجاب چوہدری پرویز الہی کے صاحبزادے مونس الہی نے پوائنٹ آف آرڈر پر گفتگو کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ سردار ذوالفقار علی خان کھوسہ کو وہ دور نہیں بھولنا چاہیئے۔ جب وہ شریف برادران کی جلا وطنی
کے دوران میرے والد چوہدری پرویز الہی کے پاس آتے اور اپنے تحصیل ناظم بیٹے سمیت مختلف امور پر بات چیت کرتے اس حوالے سے میری زبان نہ کھلوائی جائے تو بہتر ہے

LAHORE, June 18: Alleging that the Punjab government has failed to achieve any target set in previous year’s budget, the opposition enumerates 19 reasons for the failure, some of which are power politics between the coalition partners, incomplete cabinet, concentration of powers and the deteriorating law and order.
Flanked by some Pakistan Muslim League-Q MPAs, opposition leader Chaudhry Zaheeruddin told the media here on Thursday that after failure of its all policies, the Shahbaz Sharif government was now planning to obtain a simple majority in the house by getting resigned 10 turncoats of the Q-League and their success in by-polls through the use of state machinery.
Thereafter, he predicted, the PML-N would try to get rid of its coalition partner -- the Pakistan People’s Party.
Zaheer said two days before the budget his party had put up 19 questions to the Punjab government about its performance but, what he said, it failed to give any satisfactory reply.
Presenting 19 reasons for the failure, he said government de partments had to bear the brunt of confrontation between PML-N and PPP throughout the year as it affected administrative affairs in the province. The confrontation is going on yet.
The cold war between the provincial government and the governor bifurcated the bureaucracy. Likewise, the government fought an “illegal” war against district governments by character assassination of nazims and freezing their funds.
Referring to large-scale transfers and postings the Shahbaz government had undertaken immediately after assuming power, he said the exercise not only hit the provincial kitty but also resulted in appointment of juniors over seniors.
Terming the `sasti roti’ scheme a political stunt, Zaheer said the “imaginary” scheme did nothing for the poor but wasted billions of rupees.
Incomplete cabinet and nonfunctional standing committees of the assembly were hampering governance while provincial affairs were being run through unelected people and close relatives, he added.
He regretted that the all-important Public Accounts Committee was awaiting appointments on its vacant seats as the government was trying to avoid its accountability.
Criticising the poor law and order, the opposition leader said the government was failing to check terrorist attacks despite prior warnings while lack of coordination and strategy was resulting in delay in mega projects.
He alleged that Nawaz Sharif was holding meetings with bureaucrats and issuing them directions separately and the duality was affecting performance of the administration. He also chided the government for showing political expediency while fighting the province’s case before the federation as far as mega projects like Kalabagh Dam were concerned. However, he did not tell why his government neglected the important water reservoir during its five-year tenure and rather Qleadership spoke against it during the last year election campaign.
The PML-Q leader alleged that Lahore Ring Road project was being extended to benefit Jati Umra estate of the Sharifs.

LAHORE - Opposition Leader at the Punjab Assembly Ch Zaheer-ud-Din, while outrightly rejecting the budgetary highs and hopes of the provincial government, has maintained that nothing new has been done, and previous year’s goal and objectives have been represented in the fiscal outlay of 2009-10.
He was talking to media persons on Tuesday at the Punjab Assembly after the presentation of the budget.
To him, after spending Rs 14 billion on the Sasti Roti Scheme in three months during the last year, the government had again allocated Rs 7.50b, which would be a huge failure again. “Secondly, the money fixed for Food Stamp Scheme, should have been spent on developing industry for the creation of work culture instead of producing a stipend-reliant population,” he added.
Ch Zaheer was of the view that due to the bad revenue collections - which the government had accepted it as well - the province would get Rs 175 b from the federal divisible pool, which would have been Rs 6b provided the government had been successful in meeting the targeted revenue collection.
“The government has claimed to have spent 48 per cent from Rs 160b annual development budget, which is pretty low. People give taxes, but the government does not have disbursement system, which delays development projects; thereby adding to the cost ultimately,” he observed. He also pointed that 45 kilometres had been added to the Lahore Ring Road project just facilitate a few Raiwind residents.
The Opposition Leader was critical of the government’s wheat campaign. “It does not have the capacity to buy wheat, or any other crop, especially when it is bumper. It is the time to look beyond borders for selling agriculture products so that the growers get the guarantee of selling their crops,” he opined. Ch Zaheer said the Danish School System and buses projects had been repeated for the second time in two successive fiscal layouts.
He was of the considered opinion that the administrative failures had been camouflaged under terrorism.

Report about Budjet-2009

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Today's CARTOON

LAHORE: The PML-Q leadership termed the provincial budget 2009-10 disappointing and merely rhetoric, a replica of previous budget, lacking innovation.

The PML-Q parliamentarians strongly criticised the provincial government for presenting a non-representative budget prepared by bureaucrats. They alleged that the provincial government had neither incorporated the recommendations of the finance minister nor parliamentarians in the budget.

Talking with The News, Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Ch Zaheer and senior leader Ch Moonis Elahi said the government had not mentioned any mega project in the budget book. They claimed that the provincial the provincial government had tried to hide its administrative inefficiency through putting everything on terrorism. They alleged that the government could neither achieve the determined 60 million ton target of wheat procurement nor the farmers got the officially announced rate of their commodity.

LAHORE - The budget committee of the PML-Q has issued a 19-point questionnaire to flay the performance of the Punjab government during financial year 2008-09.
Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Ch Zaheer ud Din and MPA Moonis Elahi, who are heading the committee, termed the fiscal year 08-09 as utter disappointment.
The committee comprising Mohsin Laghari, Muhammad Yar Hiraj and others also announced to issue a dossier over the financial efficiency of the provincial government after the presentation of Budget 2009-10.
The questionnaire alleges that in 2008-09, a Rs 160 billion development budget was announced by Shahbaz-led government which promised to constitute price control board, launch air-conditioned buses for students, generate 350-megawatt electricity, establish cold storage for perishable commodities in 10 districts etc, from these funds but none of the announced ‘projects’ could be fulfilled so far.
The PML-Q budget committee questions that “why the conversion of the CM Secretariat to (women) IT University is not finalized” yet, as promised previously by the Punjab government.
It further says that announcement was made to sell out luxury cars, but “when they (cars) were sold, what was their selling price and under what head the amount was utilized.”
The committee in its questionnaire has further asked that “how many roads the provincial government constructed during one year; did farmers receive actual price of wheat and flour or whether promise to purchase single grain of wheat was fulfilled.”
“The Punjab government announced to provide free of cost medicines to the patients of all the public hospitals. But this facility was withdrawn even from the emergency wards of the hospitals,” the committee alleged.
It further said that promise was made by the N-led government to establish model schools in the province. Public wants to know how many model schools have been set up.
“The Punjab government, during the budget speech, announced to provide low-cost houses to low-paid citizens at the cost of Rs 1 billion. The committee questions that how many houses have been constructed in one year. It also asks that under the green tractor scheme “how many tractors are given to small cultivators.”
The provincial government pledged to earmark Rs 5 billion to equip 4,574 secondary schools with modern computer labs. The committee questions that “how many laboratories have been set up in educational institutions.”

PML-Q leader Ch. Moonis Elahi has said that Dr Mufti Sarfraz Naeemi was a precious asset of Muslim Ummah and his services for national solidarity, reconciliation among religions and for promotion and propagation of Islam would be remembered for years to come.

He was talking to media men after his meeting with Maulana Muhammad Raghib Hussain Naeemi, the son of Maulana Sarfraz Naeemi at Jamia Naeemia here on Monday where he condoled with him the death of his father and offered Fateha.

Opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly Ch Zaheer-ud-Din, Senator Kamil Ali Agha, Mian Munir Ahmed, Kh Tahir Zia, Shaikh Umer Hayat and Haji Hanif were also with him. Moonis Elahi said that his family and party were deeply aggrieved over the tragic demise of Dr Sarfraz Naemi and they announced their complete support to his family. He said they did not want to make his death a political issue and but the failure if government on the count was quite evident. He said he was worried why the administration of the provincial government had completely flopped and it could not pre-empt the terrorist attack despite clear reports and information from the agencies.

He alleged that if the provincial government had taken appropriate security measures for protecting the lives of religious scholars, the nation would have not to face the tragic deaths of Ulemas like DR Sarfarz Naeemi.

He said the terrorist attacks on the mosques, imam bargahs, seminaries, and madaris aimed at destabilizing Pakistan. He said the entire nation was united to counter the evil designs of their enemies and were praying for the success of the ongoing military operation
.



Good Governance ?

ISLAMABAD: Central leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Q Chaudhry Pervez Elahi has described the Federal Budget 2009-10 as disappointing.

He said Pakistani people are calling for ‘Roti, Kapra aur Makan’ (food, clothing and shelter) but the government seems hell bent on imposing taxes and taking internal and external loans for meeting targets.

Chaudhry Pervez Elahi said neither will there be any reduction in inflation and unemployment nor will the employees get any relief.

The budget document is not in congruence with the economic condition and political situation of the country.

KUNDIAN: President Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q), Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has said that neither there is need of Martial Law nor his party would support it, saying the country cannot afford mid-term elections.

Talking to media men here, President PML-Q while commenting on Swat operation said that it was necessary to take action against those who were challenging writ of the government but the killing of innocent people should be avoided.

Criticizing the policies of the incumbent government, President PML-Q said that the budget for fiscal year 2009-10 completely disappointed the masses and mere on "jugglery of figures". He said that the government failed to meet targets set in the last fiscal year.

Comparing the government of PML-Q with present government, Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain said that the situation in our time was much better as compare to the present time, saying the unannounced load-shedding worsened the situation.

Swat IDPs Camps

Public Views about Budget 2009-10

Please click on image for complete interview of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi

LAHORE: Chairman Pakistan Muslim League (Q) CH. Shujat Hussain has said that terrorism and extremism is gaining its momentum in the country and all parties should put aside their personal differences and should put a united front for integrity and solidarity of Pakistan.
On his return to Pakistan from Paris hereon Thursday, talking to media at Lahore airport he said that single army or one political party definitely couldn’t do much.

All parties and religious scholars should cooperate with each other for integrity and solidarity of Pakistan.
Answering to a question about Nawaz eligibility case he said that judicial decision should be accepted.

Ch. Shujaat demanded more relief to common people in Budget.

LAHORE - The PML-Q has blamed the Punjab government for politically victimising the Nazims, who still admire and regard highly the last govt of Ch Pervaiz Elahi in the province. Spokesman of the PML-Q, commenting on a report sent by the Local Government Department to seek action against Nazim District Hafizabad, Mubashir Abbas Bhatti said, after the provincial government had resorted to character assassination of the Nazims in the name of audit of their funds, now it has adopted other tactics to harass them.

He said Hafizabad Nazim before proceeding to a visit abroad, had handed over charge to the Naib-Nazim according to rules and regulations. The spokesman said the PML-N government was annoyed of the Nazim for the reason, he had had arranged a successful visit and public meeting of Ch Pervaiz Elahi on April 15 last. He said Ch Pervez Elahi had awarded the status of district to Hafizabad besides providing Rs 11 billion for its development. That is way, he said, the people of Hafizabad respect and admire Pervaiz Elahi and to demonstrate the same, they had come in large number to receive him in the district.

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