It was probably during the time when Zia was the president and Mohammad Khan Juneno as his prime minister that it was decided to give every parliamentarian an handsome amount running into crores of rupees every year under the name of developmental budget, ostensibly for executing developmental schemes in their political constituencies. One remembers many eyebrows were then raised in many political quarters over that decision. It was apprehended by them that this money would go down the drain. A big chunk of it would go to the pockets of its recipients and, moreover, it will be used by the ruling government as political bribe to win over the political loyality of the parliamentarians sitting on the other side of the political divide. Time has proved that apprehension to be hundred percent correct.
The present rulers had promised the electorate on the eve of last election that on coming to power this system would be scrapped. It was also said by them that the MNAs, MPAs and the Senators have nothing to do with the physical execution of the developmental schemes. Their job is to legislate only, pure and simple. Nothing more, nothing less.
Granted that the elected representatives of the people have the right to pinpoint the fields within their respective political constituencies where developmental schemes are needed. It is also their duty to oversee and monitor the quality of work whenever it is in different stages of execution but there is no need, whatever, to hand them over crores of rupees in every budget for the purpose.
Had the present rulers scrapped this system the leader of the opposition would not have the audicity today to issue a Press statement today that the government should earmark funds for fighting off Corona virus instead of releasing funds to some parliamentarians for winning over their political loyality.
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