A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday directed the Punjab government to treat the ruling and opposition members elected on reserved seats for minorities equally in development schemes.
The bench, headed by LHC Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, passed the orders while disposing of an intra-court appeal filed by minority
PTI MPA Shunila Ruth against alleged discrimination in disbursement of development funds among the minority parliamentarians.
MPA’s counsel Shiraz Zaka argued that the funds meant for development schemes had been released to minority MPAs belonging to the ruling government but those belonging to the opposition had been meted out a discriminatory treatment.
He pleaded the court to set aside single bench orders and directions should be issued for considering development schemes of the petitioner MPA and allocation of funds for them.
In response to court query, a law officer informed that no funds were being issued to the MPAs individually. He submitted that the funds were issued for development schemes, as per law.
A representative of provincial assembly secretary also appeared before the court and stated that they had no role in the grant of funds to MPAs.
At this, the court disposed of the matter and directed the government to give equal treatment to the development schemes of ruling and opposition members elected on reserved seats for minorities.