Third party to evaluate, monitor use of funds transferred to provinces

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet decided Tuesday to put in place a mechanism for third-party evaluation and monitoring of funds transferred to the provinces from the federal divisible pool.

Briefing the media on decisions taken by the federal cabinet in today’s meeting presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry said a mechanism will be devised for third-party evaluation and monitoring of PSDP funds transferred to the provinces for development and non-development expenditures so that people get to know where public money is spent.

“Billions are transferred to the provinces by the Centre. Where all this money is spent?” he questioned.

Fawad said cinemas will soon open in the country. It has been proposed to open the cinemas from June 30, however, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) is to make a decision in this regard, he added.

He said Carlton Hotel in Karachi, Jamshed Quarters and other federal government properties that lie in the heart of Karachi will be auctioned and people living there will be provided alternative places.

The use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in elections is our foremost priority, he said. Besides, he added the government wants to introduce e-voting for overseas Pakistanis whom, he said, we consider an integral part of the country’s political system.

Taking aim at the PML-N over opposing the voting rights for the Pakistani expats, Fawad billed the opposition party as “the modern East India Company” saying what the latter did to India and Mughal rulers, the PML-N and its leadership is doing to Pakistan.

He requested the judiciary to take PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif’s cases on a day-to-day basis as the entire nation is invested in them and wants them to conclude.