News
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
CJP takes notice of Raja’s doling out of fundsStaff Report
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has taken suo motu notice over a news report of Daily Times which read that former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf doled out billions of rupees in the form of development funds ten days after having completed his tenure in office.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will hear the case today (Wednesday). The court has directed the cabinet and finance secretaries to appear in person today and explain whether the funds from the public exchequer have been allocated/distributed to MNAs/MPAs/notables in accordance with the constitution and the law.
It also questioned from them what is the procedure to monitor the spending and whether the details of such developments are available and whether the contracts were granted to the contractors in compliance with the PPRA Rules. After going through the contents of official reports, the CJP pass an order that read, “A careful perusal of information collected from concerned quarters reveals that former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf spent/allocated/distributed various amounts. A sum of Rs 22.0 billion was allocated for People’s Works Programme-II during financial year 2012-2013 for development schemes identified by Parliamentarians and Notables under Demand No.109-Development expenditure of Cabinet Division. Furthermore, an amount of Rs 25 billions on the directions of the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, was allocated to the Cabinet Division’s Demand No.109-Development Expenditure of Cabinet Division for People’s Works Programme-II. Thus, the total amount of aforesaid two allocations under People’s Works Programme-II for the year 2013-14 comes out to Rs 47.0 billion (Rs 22.0 billion+Rs 25 billion).
The CJP’s order also says that amounts have not only been distributed/allocated to elected representatives, including MNAs, MPAs, but also to notables. There are lots of speculations about the distribution of abovementioned amounts by the prime minister, prima facie, beyond his budgetary as well as discretionary powers. “Therefore, instant proceedings be registered as petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution and be fixed in court on 17.04.2013, as it gives rise to a question of public importance, involving enforcement of fundamental rights of the citizens guaranteed under articles 9, 14, 19 A, 24 and 25 of the Constitution.”
Earlier, taking notice, in the first instance information was sought about the news from the chief editor, reporter of Daily Times, principal secretary to prime minister and Ministry of Finance secretary. The Ministry of Finance submitted in the report that Rs 22 billion were allocated for people’s works Program-II during financial year 2012-2013 for development schemes identified by the parliamentarians and notables. Subsequently, on the direction of the PM Secretariat an additional amount of Rs 25 billion was allocated to the Cabinet Division’s Demand No 109-Development Expenditure of Cabinet Division for People’s Works Program-II.
As such the total allocation under People’s Works Program-II for the year 2013-2014 comes out to Rs 47 billion. It further stated that the releases out of People’s Works Program-II are made by the Cabinet Division on the directions of the PM Secretariat. The PM Secretariat submitted a report stating therein that no funds were released for development scheme under PWP-II after the dissolution of the National Assembly on March 16, 2013.
Chief Editor, Daily Times had stated that the news clipping was a mere reproduction of publication and broadcast already made public by Dunya newspaper and Satellite TV Channel. The original source of news clipping in question are the column, story and talks on a number of shows by Rauf Klasra of Dunya newspaper and Satellite TV Channel. He has further stated that the Monitoring Desk of Daily Times had been following the issue, and the very same was taken from Klasra’s relations. According to the Daily Times report, among the beneficiaries are also the sons of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani, namely Ali Musa Gilani and Abdul Qadir Gilani.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk