PESHAWAR: Members in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday complained about long delays in royalty payments by the centre to the province and insisted that the withheld money had hindered the province’s ability to fund development projects.

During a sitting of the provincial assembly, which met with Deputy Speaker Suriya Bibi in the chair, the lawmakers said the province had the right to net hydel power profit under Article 161 of the Constitution, so the centre should ensure its smooth payments.

Kohat MPA from the treasury benches, Daud Shah, said his constituency produced oil but it didn’t have any oil refinery or clean drinking water.

He added that residents often complained about royalty payment delays.

Agriculture minister Sajjad Khan agreed and said the chief minister had enhanced gas royalty payment from 10 per cent to 15 per cent despite the government’s financial problems.

PTI criticises federal govt over crackdown on ‘peaceful’ protesters in Islamabad

“The federal government has to pay Rs100 billion annually for the development of our merged tribal districts but we got not even 20 per cent of the agreed amount in the last four years,” he insisted.

Mr Khan also complained about the denial of gas royalty, net hydel profit and tobacco cess.

He also flayed the federal government’s crackdown on the PTI march last month. He said PTI workers from Punjab couldn’t attend the march as “every house” in the province was cordoned off by the police.

The minister said the PTI held a peaceful protest in Islamabad but were treated brutally as if they’re convicted criminals.

He wondered why those calling in the shots in Islamabad stole people’s electoral mandate for the PTI, changed the criteria for the Supreme Court judges’ appointment, enactedthe 26th Constitutional Amendment, and closed all routes to Islamabad during the PTI’s peaceful march.

Mr Khan resented the arrest of Pakhtuns by law-enforcement agencies in Islamabad and said not every Pakhtun was a PTI worker.

He said the federal government would have never fired at PTI workers from Punjab.

The minister also complained that whenever some mishap happened in Pakistan, Kabul and Afghan nationals were blamed.

He said Pakhtuns were faithful to the state.

Mr Khan said MPA of the opposition PPP Ahmad Karim Kundi always spoke about the supremacy of the Constitution but never highlighted its provisions on freedom of expression.

He said the ruling PTI was opposed to political maneuvering by any state institution, including the security establishment.

On the occasion, Mr Kundi rejected the criticism and said the centre paid oil royalty to the province in 2010, 2013 and 2018.

He also said the province received net hydel profit from the Tarbela Dam, which produced 20 billion power units annually.

Minister Sajjad said that the formation of a house committee comprising members of all political parties had been proposed to take up the dues issue with the federal government and seek a payment schedule.

He said the proposal should be discussed with Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

Special assistant to the chief minister for communication and works Sohail Afridi said the PTI “knocked at all constitutional doors for justice,” but to no avail.

He said for the first time in history, the PTI had carried out a movement for over two years demanding the release of their leader, Imran Khan, illegally imprisoned for over 15 months.

Treasury member Laiq Khan alleged that Rs3 billion development funds were embezzled in his Torghar district constituency in the last six months.

He said he was willing to share details with the anti-corruption establishment for a probe.

The lawmaker also accused the district health officer of misappropriating Rs50 million funds and complained that no action was taken against the DHO despite his formal request.

The lawmakers criticised adviser to the chief minister against corruption Musaddiq Abbasi over “inaction” against corrupt officials in the province.

The house later passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Resolution of Commercial Dispute Amendment Bill, 2024, which was tabled by local government minister Arshad Ayub.

The chair adjourned the session until 2pm today (Tuesday) over a lack of quorum.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2024