The Bank of Punjab has disbursed outstanding loans of Rs 73 billion which amounted to Rs 10 billion four years ago, Parliamentary Secretary for Finance Abdul Waheed said on the floor of the House on Monday.
The interesting admittance from the treasury benches came in the Question Hour session of the Punjab Assembly.
The session turned intense after a PPP MPA Amir Dogar raised several queries regarding the Bank of Punjab issue. Since he was not present, another PPP member, Ehsanul Haq Naulathiya had to respond.
The questions involved the perks and privileges being given to the high-ups of the BoP, with details of the branches running in deficit and other rules and regulations governing the business of the bank.
Responding to the queries, Waheed said, “The previous government is responsible for the deficit which granted loans on fake CNICs.” These remarks invited a lot of criticism from the opposition benches initiating a heated debate. Opposition MPAs dissatisfied with the answers, started chanted slogans and blaming the chief minister for the mismanagement and the deficit.
“The chief minister himself is responsible for the mismanagement because he makes the policies of the bank,” Naulathiya said. Waheed further told the House that the BoP was running in a deficit of Rs 4 billion, which had come down from Rs 8 billion. “This is only because of the Haris Steel Mills case from the previous regime while the incumbent government has recovered half of the amount already, while the deficit will be entirely removed by 2013,” he added.
Forward bloc MPA Sheikh Allaudin presented an adjournment motion, diverting the House’s attention to the Punjab University’s lawns being used as marriage gardens.
He said such commercial activity should not be allowed at a place of education. “Organising such functions at the university premises also involve dance, music and other ‘immoral’ activities.” Responding to the motion, Parliamentary Secretary for Education Tahir khalil Sindhu said the decision was taken by the high-powered university syndicate and the government could not meddle in this affair.