Half of ANP lawmakers in Dubai on recreation trip

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Tauseef-ur-Rahman
PESHAWAR: More than half of the total elected members of the Awami National Party (ANP), including some provincial ministers, have reached Dubai on a recreational trip.

Hosted by the newly-elected ANP Senator, Abdul Nabi Bangash, who is also the president of the party in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the rare tour by the elected representatives is aimed at meeting party workers from various districts of the NWFP, besides relaxing in the Arab land, full of life and attraction.

According to reports published in a newspaper of Dubai, the visitors will stay in Nabi Bangash’s two furnished apartment buildings, Al Shams Plaza and Grand Palace, in Bur Dubai. “Last year was very bad for the NWFP and tension was high. They wanted a break. This is an ideal time because the situation has somewhat relaxed this year after a long time,” Bangash told the newspaper.

Their visit was also a celebration of Bangash for becoming a senator. They will visit all the attractions in the UAE -- a city tour, a cruise dinner, and a desert safari, to mention a few. Importantly, Bangash maintained, they would meet the community in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Sharjah and Ajman.

This is the first time that such a large number of lawmakers of a ruling party are leaving the province to enjoy some moments in a foreign land. Though the trip was financed by Nabi Bangash and will not incur any financial burden on the public exchequer of this cash-strapped province, it had drawn criticism from different quarters of the society.

The lavish amount to be spent on the recreation of lawmakers could have been used for charity works in this poverty-stricken province and the step would earn a good name for the party as well as improve the senator’s image, said a senior journalist.

“It is their right to go on holidays. However, we have never seen such an en masse trip in the near past,” said Subhan Khan, a lawyer. “Who would take care of the problems faced by the people visiting offices of the ministers and elected representatives for their day to day problems?” he questioned. Talking to The News, ANP Provincial Information Secretary Arbab Muhammad Tahir argued that some ministers were still present and performing their routine duties.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=21165