For the public

[Falconer]

PUBLIC land like parks should be run by public entities. This was the gist of the 62-page Supreme Court verdict on private development/commercial activities in a major Islamabad park. The verdict on Fatima Jinnah Park reinforces a 2006 SC ruling directing the Capital Development Authority to cancel its lease to a private concern for developing a mini golf course in another park. The latest verdict directs the CDA to cancel a lease to a private entity running an international fast food chain, an allotment to another running a library and an under-construction private club project. The difference this time is that the SC has suggested ways of turning the unlawful developments into amenities for the public. The library is to be returned to the original public owner — the ministry of education that will run it with private representation. The citizens’ club is to be converted into a public welfare project. In the case of the fast food outlet, the CDA has to frame and get approved regulations legalising the presence of a restaurant in that portion of the park. If not done within three months, the outlet will be demolished.

Pegged on provisions in the Islamabad Land Disposal Regulations 1993, which disallow allotment of plots in parks to private organisations, and the CDA Ordinance 1960, which states that public parks and playing fields are to be developed and maintained by the authority, the SC verdict is also an indictment of public functionaries who carry out unlawful orders under pressure. Learning its lesson from the verdict the CDA should develop the park and other parks in Islamabad as soon as possible and in accordance with the law and approved master plans. This will not only benefit the general public but also ward off those unable to resist the temptation of profiting from unused public land.

 

[Falconer]

THE announcement of Sindh’s Rs442bn budget for 2010-11 has been met with a mix of hope and trepidation. Though there has been a significant increase in the development outlay, there is also a Rs25bn deficit. Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah assured the assembly on Friday that “additional resources” would be used to improve revenue collection and bridge the deficit. He said the federal government would be approached to seek the return of the “overpaid” amount of Rs22bn — assumed to be from the share of GST — while the Sindh government would also cut down on “wasteful spending”. Worries about the deficit aside, there are plus points to the budget. Capital Value Tax is now a provincial subject and the tax breaks announced on CVT and stamp duty should stimulate investment. The education development budget, as well as the allocation for health, has been increased. The police budget has gone up by nearly 20 per cent. It is hoped this increase prompts the police to improve their performance, especially considering rampant targeted killings in Karachi and the general lawlessness in Sindh.

An increase in funds does not always translate into improved quality. There are complaints of government funds not being utilised or under-utilisation, as well as leakages. The Sindh government must address these concerns. Also, the right to impose tax on agricultural incomes now rests with the provinces. Observers say farmers are getting better prices for wheat and sugar, resulting in better incomes. Hence, there is no excuse for the provinces not to tax agriculture. The Sindh government must seriously consider this if it wants to bridge the deficit. The country’s fiscal structure has changed greatly after the passage of the 18th Amendment and the seventh NFC award. Key sectors now fall within the provincial domain; hence the provinces’ responsibility has grown. The use of funds must be monitored to ensure the money is going where it should be. For Sindh, it will be a great challenge to live up to the expectations set by the budget. The government must ensure judicious spending of resources as well as improvement in the quality of service.