News
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Major chunk of funds for poor spent on security
* PRSP report shows Rs 34.526 billion spent to improve law, order situation during first quarter of current year
* Highest amount spent on Punjab, lowest on Balochistan
By Zeeshan Javaid
ISLAMABAD: The major chunk of funds earmarked for the poor has been consumed on improvement of law and order situation in the country during the first quarter (July-September) of the ongoing fiscal year 2010-11.
According to the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) expenditure summary report released by the Finance Ministry on Saturday, the government had spent Rs 34.526 billion to improve the law and order situation, showing an increase of Rs 29.463 billion or 17.18 percent during the same period of FY 2009-10.
The highest amount of Rs 12.061 billion was spent Punjab, showing a 10 percent increase in expenditure as compared to Rs 10.955 billion last year.
However, for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which has been facing the worst law and order situation for the last many years, current expenditures stood at Rs 3.298 billion, an increase of 27 percent as compared to the same period of last fiscal. The lowest amount of Rs 1.771 billion was spent on Balochistan.
A sum of Rs 11.234 billion was spent on the federal capital.
According to the report, in July 2010, total 179 terrorist attacks were reported from across the country of which nine were suicide, claiming 334 lives and causing 633 injuries. Sixty-two attacks in FATA left 181 people dead and 222 injured. In Balochistan, 41 people were killed and 58 injured in 54 attacks. In KP, 41 attacks claimed 44 lives and injured 142 others. Similarly, 10 attacks in Punjab left 47 people dead and 204 injured, while eight attacks in Karachi killed 20 people and injured seven others.
In August 2010, 194 attacks, including two suicide attacks, claimed 195 lives and caused injuries to 278 people. Balochistan was hit 70 times which left 56 dead and 75 people injured, FATA faced 67 terrorist attacks that left 84 people dead and 97 others wounded. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 31 attacks claimed 25 lives and injured 74 others, 15 attacks in Karachi left 25 people dead and 16 others injured, while six attacks in Gilgit-Baltistan killed five and injured four others.
A total 156 attacks, including eight suicides, were reported in September 2010, claiming 297 lives and causing 707 injuries. Balochistan saw 49 terrorist attacks, which claimed 92 lives and injured 238 people. With 45 attacks, which left 69 people dead and 185 others wounded, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was the second most volatile area. In FATA, 38 attacks claimed 74 lives and injured 63 others, 13 attacks in Karachi left 16 dead and 10 others injured, and eight attacks in Punjab claimed 46 lives and injured 208 others.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk