No uplift funds given to MPs, PM tells SC

-Earlier SC had asked PM to submit his reply

By Uzma Zafar

ISLAMABAD: The finance secretary on Thursday submitted a report duly signed by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan in the Supreme Court (SC), in a case pertaining to the reported issuance of Rs500 million uplift grant to each Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker.
The SC asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to submit his reply in the case.
In a report submitted in the Supreme Court, Prime Minister Imran Khan has confirmed that not a single lawmaker was given separate uplift fund by the incumbent government.
The report signed by Prime Minister Imran Khan was submitted by the finance secretary in the SC.
On Feb 3, a two-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa, had taken exception to reports regarding approval of Rs500 million each as uplift grant to PTI lawmakers.
“Is the prime minister’s giving funds to lawmakers in line with the constitution and law?” asked Justice Isa.
“We will dispose of the matter if the grant is being given as per the constitution, law and court orders,” he said and directed the AG to seek instructions from the government and inform the SC in this regard.
On January 27, according to reports, the prime minister had announced Rs500 million for each member of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies under sustainable development goals in order to carry out development schemes in their constituencies.