SWABI, Aug 22: The district coordination officer has stopped work on Ghulama Causeway to avoid a law and order situation as the project has become a bone of contention between the district chapter of ruling Awami National Party and a local welfare organisation, both striving to take credit for it.

Syed Khalid Bacha, head of Seven Star, a local support organisation, inked an agreement with American Embassy in Islamabad for construction of the road while Bushra Gohar, an MNA of ANP, was instrumental in allocating and sanctioning Rs10 million for the same project. The Seven Star and American Embassy agreement titled “Small Grant and Ambassador's Fund Programme (NRSP-SGAFP) was inked on July 12, 2011 while construction of the causeway was inaugurated on July 20.

“The estimated cost of the project is Rs9.4 million out of which Rs7.6 million to be paid by the American Embassy and the remaining Rs1.8 million by the Seven Star,” sources said.

A letter issued by DCO Mohammad Shah, a copy of which is available with Dawn , says that the scheme has been identified by MNA Bushra Gohar and an amount of Rs10 million has already been allocated which was approved in the district development committee meeting on July 25, 2011.

“The same scheme has been undertaken for construction by USAID and they started work on it. There are reports that there is a potential dispute over the construction of the causeway between two political groups of the area. Consequently a law and order situation may arise, hence it is requested that the construction work on the said causeway may be stopped temporarily for the time being, till the solution of the problem,” it adds.

Mr Bacha recalled that he moved an application to DCO office to acquire no objection certificate on April 13, 2011 and the certificate was given to Seven Star by the then DCO Syed Abdul Jabar Shah on April 14, 2011.

“It is discretionary fund of Bushra Gohar and I talked to her, demanding diversion of the fund to another project in the area,” said the DCO. However, she said the district leadership of the party wanted to use the allocated fund for the same project, he added.

Ms Gohar, when contacted, said that people Swabi were facing several problems. “Anyone, including the US, who wants to carry out development schemes, is welcomed,” she added.

Maqsood Alam, field operation officer of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata of Small Grant and Ambassador's Fund Programme, when contacted, said that there was no option to divert the fund to another scheme. “It is not mentioned in the concluded agreement. However, it is the discretionary power of the American ambassador if he wants,” he said. Sources said that head of Seven Star was also district general secretary of PPP-S so the scheme had become a bone of contention between the two parties.