PSDP projects without PC-1 illegal: Balochistan High Court
Staff Reporter :
QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court on Tuesday declared development projects without PC-1 under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) illegal. A division bench of the BHC comprising Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, and Mr. Justice Abdul Hameed Baloch passed this order on a petition of opposition parties.
The bench ordered the planning and development department to exclude a number of projects including the construction of rest houses at Hana Urak, Mian Ghundi, Lasbella, and Kohlu. The proposed development projects are contrary to the guidelines of the planning commission, the bench observed.
Opposition parties challenged PSDP
Opposition political parties i.e. the Balochistan National Party (Mengal), Jamiat ul Ulema e Islami (F), Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) had challenged the PSDP for the financial year 2020-21 in the BHC.
The bench observed that the M8 highway and other highways are under the jurisdiction of the national highway authority (NHA). The court directed to exclude projects worth Rs. 2bs in this regard. The court also ordered to exclude funds allocated for national games and observed that the said funds were not specified.
Chief Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail remarked that most of the water supply schemes were of individual nature and directed the secretary irrigation to identify all schemes and report to the court in the next hearing.
The court also initiated contempt of court proceedings against additional chief secretary (development) Abdul Rehman Buzdar. The court issued a show-cause notice to the ACS and directed the latter to appear on October 15.
Senior lawyer, Sajid Tareen, Ali Ahmed Khan Kakar represented the opposition political parties that challenged the development projects under PSDP by the provincial government. The Advocate General Balochistan, Arbab Tahir Advocate represented the provincial government during the court proceedings.
