LAHORE – Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is costing the provincial exchequerRs1.7 million a day, says opposition leader Mahmoodur Rasheed.

In a report released by him on the “spendthrift CM,” he said that under himthe Punjab government spent Rs21 million on bullet proof vehicle for himand Rs24 million on six double cabin vehicles for him, DAWN news hasreported.

A massive sum of Rs8.5 billion was spent on NA-120 – a constituency, whereKalsoom Nawaz won elections after disqualification of Nawaz Sharif – duringthe by-election.

Funds, he said, were taken away from vital sectors like health and cleandrinking water to spend on NA-120 for political purpose to win elections.

Another additional amount of Rs15 million was spent on security of JatiUmra.

Drawing figures from the budgetary documents, the opposition leader claimedthat two lawyers – Saleem Haris and Azam Nazir – got Rs8 million from theprovincial exchequer for contesting cases on behalf of former primeminister Nawaz Sharif.

The Punjab cabinet had hired a helicopter from the federal government whichcost Rs120 million to the provincial government.

The Punjab government has fixed a target of Rs544 billion for taxcollection whereas it was able to collect only Rs456 billion.

“The Punjab chief minister has neither been able to end loadshedding in thecountry as promised by him nor has he been able to complete developmentprojects. He inaugurated a number of projects which were closed. He hasalso not been able to provide any relief to the common man as reflected inhis failure to achieve Rs6 billion subsidy target in the province,” saysthe report.