BAHAWALPUR: Jamaat-e-Islami's Parliamentary Leader in Punjab Assembly Dr Wasim Akhtar said that 40% of the development funds allocated in the previous budget of 2016-17 could not be spent thus it is not good governance but bad governance.
Addressing an Iftar dinner organised by Jamaat-e-Islami in the honour of journalists, he said that its main reason is the decision of one person, whole Punjab Assembly is not aware of the spending of funds allocated in the budget; the funds of South Punjab have been spent on the projects like metro bus and orange train. He demanded funds for the construction of flyovers in front of Bahawal Victoria Hospital and One Unit Chowk and to eliminate unemployment, Industrial Zone in Bahawalpur to be made tax free at least for 20 years.
He said that Rawalpindi and Faisalabad's medical colleges be upgraded to the universities, Quaid-i-Azam Medical College Bahawalpur is older than these colleges it should also be upgraded to university level. “Joint resolution which was passed in Punjab Assembly for restoring the Bahawalpur province and Southern Punjab province creation but implementation has not been made until now. Funds for the restoration of Bahawalpur province and making the South Punjab province be allocated,” he said. He further said that funds for the announced Journalist Colony and Ashiana Housing Scheme in Bahawalpur be allocated and the Civil Hospital Jhangiwala be named after Mohsin-e-Pakistan Nawab Sir Sadiq Khan Abbasi.
He demanded that Islamia University Bahawalpur's fees and fines are more than other universities which be reduced immediately and in the budget salaries and pensions of Government employees be increased by 50%.