PDM govt diverted Rs109bn to preferred constituencies, ignoring 32 poorest districts

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government led by Shehbaz Sharif diverted a staggering Rs109 billion to its preferred constituencies over the course of a year with an eye on the upcoming elections, but it came at the expense of 32 of the poorest districts in the country, which were completely deprived of public funding.

The funds in question were part of the Sustainable Development Programme, which aims to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined under Vision 2030. These goals cover critical areas such as education, healthcare, well-being, gender equality, environmental development, and upliftment of marginalised communities.

However, despite the noble objectives of these funds, their distribution was politically skewed.

According to documents available with Hum Investigation Team (HIT), while allocating Rs109 billion within one year to 85 favoured constituencies, the PDM government approved Rs80 billion in development funds in the last few days of its tenure despite the Supreme Court’s verdict against the unfair distribution of Sustainable Development Programme funds.

The HIT investigation revealed that at least 5,000 government development schemes were approved, but despite the allocation of billions of rupees in funds, work could not be completed on 70 per cent of these schemes.

The districts deprived of these funds include 14 in Balochistan, seven in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, six in Punjab, and five in Sindh.

Documents show that the funds for the Sustainable Development Programme, intended for the welfare of the poor, were politically misused. An official facing a NAB case was appointed to oversee the distribution of funds in preferred constituencies.

CSB had declared Zaheer Waraich unfit for appointment on an administrative post but the PDM government appointed him as the PDW Director-General to oversee the distribution of funds in the preferred constituencies.

Despite having allocated Rs41 billion for the Sustainable Development Programme in the last five days of its tenure, the PDM government deprived Awaran, Doki, Barkhan, Harnai, Pishin, Musa Khel, Kech, Qilaat, Chaman, Kohlu, Asta Muhammad, Washuk, Nushki, and Lasbela districts of Balochistan of these funds.

In Sindh, the districts deprived of Sustainable Development Programme funds include Umerkot, Matiari, Shaikarpur, Ghotki, and Kashmore.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Bajaur, Dir, Hangu, Haripur, Khyber, Kohat and Orakzai were deprived of the funds.

In Punjab, Attock, Mianwali, Kot Addu, Layyah, Ahmedpur East, and Khushab were deprived of these development funds.

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Additionally, over 40 other parliamentarians from various constituencies have received more than Rs2 billion in funds.

In one year, funds totaling Rs45 billion were allocated to Rawalpindi, Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Narowal, Faisalabad, and Sargodha.

Karachi, Badin, Sanghar, Larkana, Noushehro Feroze, and Benazirabad received Rs11 billion in funds.

Projects worth Rs5 billion were designated for Shangla, Waziristan and Mansehra.

Khuzdar, Qila Saifullah, Loralai, Chagai, Jhal Magsi, Jafarabad, and Quetta were granted Rs5 billion in schemes.

Lahore received a budget of Rs10 billion. Three billion rupees were expended to Rawalpindi, while two billion rupees were allocated to Narowal.

Karachi was granted Rs2 billion schemes. Chagai was granted Rs500 million and Jhal Magsi received Rs300 million schemes. Rs1billion were allotted for Mansehra alone, and Sialkot received a Rs1 billion scheme.

Dera Ismail Khan and Abbottabad were provided with Rs2.5 billion in funds, while Badin received Rs500 million under these funds.

Politicians who received the highest amount of funds

The politicians who received the highest amount of funds, amounting to billions of rupees, include former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, former NA speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Owais Laghari, Bilal Rahman, Ahsan Iqbal, Yusuf Raza Gilani, Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar, Amir Maqam, Khawaja Asif, Shaista Pervaiz Malik, Khurshid Shah, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Hanif Abbasi, Fahmida Mirza, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Asad Mahmood, Akram Durrani, Amir Haider Hoti, Khalid Magsi, Ali Zaidi, Hamza Shehbaz Sharif and Naveed Qamar.