KP CM Sohail Afridi. Photo: screenshot
PESHAWAR:
In a rare show of cross-party unity during the pre-budget debate in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, both government and opposition members sharply criticized the provincial government for sidelining elected representatives in the budget-making process, accusing the bureaucracy of dominating fiscal planning while ignoring input from assembly members.
AMPs of various parties complained that the bureaucracy prepares the budget, which is then presented in the House simply for approval, without taking into account the suggestions of elected public representatives. “We don’t know if the government or the institutions run the province,” several legislators commented, highlighting a growing feeling of marginalization among assembly members.
Prominent speakers including Obaidur Rehman, Shazia Tahmas, Munir Hussain Laghmani, Ali Shah Khan, Ashbar Jadon, Shafiullah, Mehr Sultana, Arbab Waseem, Abdul Salam Afridi, Rehana Ismail, Ajab Gul, Khalid Khan, Khadija Bibi, Asif Masood and Farah Khan took the floor to express concerns on multiple fronts.
They pointed to chronic delays in key infrastructure projects, particularly the Dir highway, which failed to meet deadlines despite funds allocated in the previous budget. Lawmakers stressed the need for adequate allocations this year to complete the project and called for the launch of revenue-generating initiatives, including hydroelectric projects that could simultaneously boost electricity supply and provincial revenue.
Other demands included greater attention to girls’ education by building schools in underserved areas, establishing vocational training centers and community schools for women, subsidies to farmers to strengthen agriculture, and measures to control pollution in urban and rural areas. Speakers also urged setting up factories in mineral-rich areas like Karak and prioritizing development in neglected regions like Abbottabad, where no major works have been carried out in more than a decade.
Responding, Advisor to Chief Finance Minister Muzzammil Aslam assured the House that suggestions from MPAs, particularly women, would be incorporated in the upcoming budget.
On the other hand, the Assembly decided to send a list of absent departmental secretaries to the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary. President Idris Khattak led the action after noticing his absence. PPP’s Ahmad Kundi suggested expanding the cabinet to include members who regularly attend assembly sessions.
In another development, the government issued a fresh notification after objections were raised to the granting of ministerial status to the Finance Adviser. PPP’s Ahmad Kundi had challenged the earlier notification on constitutional grounds, arguing that a full minister requires proper oath-taking. The Minister of Justice and the Advocate General clarified the matter and the president acknowledged the correction.
Pre-budget discussions reflect growing demands for inclusive and transparent budgeting that prioritizes public needs, infrastructure delivery and economic self-sufficiency in the face of fiscal constraints. The session underscored calls for greater provincial advocacy with the federal government to secure its rightful actions under the NFC Award.
