Balochistan Chief Minister (CM) Nawab Aslam Raisani expressed extreme displeasure over the move of Senate Standing Committee for Finance to review Balochistan’s Public Sector Development Program (PSDP), terming it a violation of provincial autonomy and contrary to the constitution. In a statement issued on Thursday, the CM strongly protested the move to review the PSDP from 2002 to 2012-13 by the committee in its meeting to be convened in Islamabad between December 3 to 5 for which Balochistan chief secretary and other provincial officials have also been summoned. Raisani said it was an open interference in the provincial matter of Balochistan and was intolerable. He categorically declared that no provincial official would appear before the committee without his permission. Raisani further said that PSDP was planned for the development of people and the government being its custodian spent the amount for the welfare of the people. He said that an elected body such as the provincial assembly gave approval of the PSDP through its legal and constitutional privilege. He questioned as to who had given mandate to the committee to review the PSDP of Balochistan and whether this was being done with other provinces. He stated that the government of Balochistan took serious notice of this unconstitutional activity and the province would lodge a strong protest. The CM said that it was the Balochistan government which had succeeded in achieving more development funds from the center and receive a provincial share under the NFC award. He further claimed that all these funds were being properly utilised for the development and progress of people of the province. He said that if anyone had any doubts over misuse of these funds, they should come and inspect the development schemes that have either been completed or are in progress.
