ISLAMABAD: Firebrand PML-N stalwart and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday assailed the judiciary for taking up the petitions challenging civilians’ trial in the military courts over the May 9 incidents, stating that the “politically-motivated” petitions had been filed by some “discarded politicians” who wanted to seek public attention.

Speaking on a point of order during the budget debate in the National Assembly, the defence minister regretted the judiciary had taken up the pleas despite the fact that it had validated such trials in the military courts in the past.

The minister recalled that under the rule of the PTI, military courts not only tried the civilians but also convicted 25 of them. Without naming anyone, he urged petitioners not to compromise on the country’s dignity for “political gains”.

The minister urged the state institutions to work within their constitutional domain, alleging that the judiciary had encroached on parliament’s jurisdiction.

Dar promises master plan for rehabilitation of flood-hit areas by July 15

“Protect your turf, otherwise you will not be able to retrieve it. The judiciary has already encroached on our territory. We must reclaim it,” he declared while pointing towards other members.

“I appeal to those who have taken this matter to the court as well as to the judiciary, leave some legacy so that you can be remembered, You are about to leave and history may delete you,” said Khawaja Asif in an apparent reference to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, who is set to retire in September this year.

He said never in the past had they witnessed such attacks on the monuments of martyrs and military installations. He claimed that he knew the name of those who were behind the attack on the army’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi in the aftermath of the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan on May 9, stating that these attackers deserved to be dealt with sternly.

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The minister was on his legs when he was informed by PPP MNA Ghulam Ali Talpur that the two Supreme Court judges had refused to become a part of the bench.

Master plan for flood-hit areas

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar briefed the house about the agreement reached between the PPP and the PML-N over the issue of the non-release of funds for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the flood-hit areas. He said the leadership of the two parties had had two rounds of talks and they had decided that a master plan for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood-hit areas in Sindh would be prepared by July 15.

According to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), the planning ministry after the budget’s passage would finalise the $16.3 billion master plan for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the flood-affected areas.

The minister said immediate rescue and relief work had been done throughout the country with a disbursement of Rs80 billion through the BISP programme, adding almost Rs100 billion had already been spent in addition to the assistance extended by the National Disaster Management Authority.

On an urgent basis, he said the relief goods had been taken from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) store, and the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet recently approved Rs12 billion to replenish its stock, keeping in view the predicted threats of the monsoon and the cyclone.

He said a comprehensive report had been prepared in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Union, and the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives. The report calculated that Pakistan collectively suffered over $30 billion in economic and physical loss.

He said funds amounting to $16.3 billion were required to execute the physical work like repair of damaged houses and infrastructure, under the 4RF strategy i.e. resilient recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction. The estimate was for the projects to be completed in up to five years, he added.

Ishaq Dar clarified that 50 per cent expenses of reconstruction and rehabilitation work would be borne by the federal government and 50 per cent by the respective province.

Under the 4RF policy, roughly $11 billion, out of $16.3 billion, would be spent in Sindh, and the rest in the flood-affected areas of Balochistan and south Punjab in light of losses, he added.

In the Geneva Donors Conference, the minister said pledges to the tune of around $8 billion were made but they lacked details that which donor would provide assistance in what field.

Sharing details of the urgent nature of projects to be carried out in Sindh, he said a flood emergency housing scheme in Sindh would be executed at a cost of $727 million, for which Rs500 billion had been earmarked in the next fiscal year, out of which Rs25 billion each would be provided by the federal government and the Sindh government.

Similarly, Rs6 billion were required for the water supply projects and the federal and Sindh government’s share would be Rs3 billion each. Likewise, the finance minister said Rs11.9 billion were required for the construction, repair and rehabilitation of 1,800 schools affected by the flood and its expense would be equally shared by the federal and provincial governments.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2023