ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday met with members of the National Assembly (MNAs) and discussed matters related to their constituencies ahead of the upcoming Senate elections.
The prime minister is meeting the lawmakers from the ruling coalition to listen to their grievances and address their reservations.
The MNAs, who called on the prime minister here at the Parliament House, included Gul Dad Khan, Gul Zafar Khan, Jawad Hussain, Muhammad Iqbal Afridi, Sajid Khan, Dr Haider Ali, Noor Alam Khan, Muhammad Aslam Bhootani, Uzma Riaz, Zille-e-Huma, Nafeesa Khattak and Shandana Gulzar.
Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak, Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Noor-ul-Haq Qadi and Special Assistant Malik Muhammad Amir Dogar were also present during the meeting.
After the meeting, the MNAs have claimed that Prime Minister Imran talked of increasing MNA funds from Rs150 million to Rs500 million.
Talking on a television programme, PTI MNA Dr Seemi Bukhari claimed that Prime Minister Imran, during the parliamentary meeting, said that MNAs’ funds should be increased from Rs150 million to Rs500 million.
She said that everyone applauded and chanted slogans of ‘Well done prime minister’ upon this announcement. The MNAs were crying a lot that our work was not going well, she added.
According to assembly member Rubina Jamil, Rs150 million have been released so far, while Rs500 million has been claimed for the future.
No one, including Dr Hafeez Shaikh, objected to the PM’s announcement.
He further said that they used to criticise the PML-N for misuse of funds but it will be audited.
Parliamentary Secretary Rukhsana Naveed stated that the premier had talked about increasing development funds.
It should be noted that on January 27, 2021, it was reported in the media reports that a meeting of the Parliamentary Party of the PTI was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Imran. MPs asked the prime minister about the delay in the Karachi Transformation Plan (KPT), to which Imran Khan had replied that for the first time the KPT is being worked on seriously. Karachi cannot be left at the mercy of the provincial government, the premier had said.
“The provincial government may or may not agree, but we will fulfil our responsibility,” he had maintained.
According to sources, members of the assembly were also questioned about the rising debts and said that the media says that the government has borrowed more than before, regarding which Finance Minister Shaikh asked the PTI parliamentary party to repay the loans.
The ruling party is making hectic efforts to ensure the victory of Dr Shaikh, who is contesting the election from the Islamabad seat against the former premier and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) joint candidate Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.
The Senate elections will be held on March 3, 2021.
