ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday announced to end discretionary fund in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), stating that members of the KP Assembly would not be given development funds from now, while local government representatives would be given more powers for development at grassroots level.
The PTI chairman stated this while talking to media persons during a press conference on Monday. “It was difficult to make MPAs understand that they will not get development funds. An MPA’s job is to ensure proper legislation. Rs 33 billion will be handed over to local government representatives through the provincial finance commission, as per requirement,” he added.
The PTI chairman said for the first time in KP, village councils were elected and being given complete financial powers. He stated he would make the police apolitical, adding that the Police Act would be passed in the province soon, which would ascertain the role of police, he affirmed.
Imran on the occasion also presented a 13-point reforms agenda regarding prosperity in KP, besides making announcements regarding certain changes in the local government as well. Khan said that the changes introduced in KP included those that had never taken place in any province before.
He said that the provincial government faced hindrances in bringing reforms in the system, adding that since the party had come to rule for the first time, it faced a few challenges, but most importantly, learnt from it. He stated that KP CM Pervaiz Khattak’s government strengthened the institutions.
Imran said that the system of hospitals in KP was being changed, adding that exemplary hospitals were now being constructed in the province. He said that KP was making huge investments in schools as compared to other provinces.
The former cricketer also condemned violence carried out on media personnel outside the office of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Islamabad, saying that party leader Naeemul Haque was given the task of identifying those behind the incident. Imran apologised for the alleged torture on media persons, vowing that strict action would be taken against those who subjected media officials to violence. He also announced a reward of 25% for anyone who pointed out corruption in the province.
