July 6, 2002	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 24,1423

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SWABI, July 5: The governor NWFP, Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah, has said that the government could neither be pressured to change its policies nor be compelled to do anything it doesn’t want to do.

Speaking at the commencement of work on the reconstruction of Yar Hussain bridge here on Friday, the governor said that big projects require extensive technical studies, and resources.

Referring to the delays, he said, to some extent, it is the large number of formalities that are the cause of delay in the implementation of big projects.

The governor, however, regretted that certain frustrated elements exploit the situation by misleading the people only for political gains. He warned the people to be aware of such elements.

He said that it was because of the new local government system that minor issues were being highlighted at the highest level by the elected representatives, urging the people to continue to support the government.

The government, he said, has already devolved almost 60 per cent of its resources to the district governments, which are being utilized at the level of union councils in accordance with the ratio of population.

He, however, declared that the provincial government would continue to help materialize plans which are out of the district government’s reach.

He said, the resources, from the federal and provincial governments, meant for the districts and other low tiers, have also been enhanced.

POWER CUT: A thunder storm lashed Swabi and its suburbs in the small hours of Friday, resulting in a 10 hours power breakdown in many parts of the district. The strong winds uprooted trees and damaged the standing crops and orchards.