Parliamentarians’development fund

In none of parliamentary and presidential forms of democracies members of parliament yearn for acquiring development funds to keep their political clout and vote bank intact in their respective constituencies. They actively take part in drafting and passing legislations pertaining to the weal and welfare of the masses. They leave the work of community development and welfare to the elected representatives of local governments. But the devoid of vision and national thinking lawmakers in Pakistan have developed an insatiable lust for acquiring development funds for which they prefer to break all in practice rules and regulations.

Federal Secretary Ministry of Housing Dr. Imran Zeb told National Assembly Standing Committee on Housing that federal Cabinet has decided to release development funds directly to the members of federal and provincial legislatures. This mode of releasing development funds runs contrary to the canon of public expenditure and misuse of taxpayers’ money. In the past when this practice of political bribery had been introduced in 1986, the members of parliament used to identify and recommend development schemes for which necessary funds had been earmarked from PSDP allocations to line departments for the executions of the approved projects in the constituencies of parliamentarians. But even though, spending of funds were plagued by transparency issues. What will be the guarantee now that transparency in the directly released development funds shall be ensured?