PESHAWAR, Dec 26: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has said that merit would be made the sole criterion in the process of decision-making in all fields which would set the course of running the affairs of the NWFP government in a transparent manner.

This he said during a meeting with Balochistan Assembly Speaker Jamal Shah Kakar at the Frontier House, here on Thursday.

Akram Durrani said that improving the law and order situation, removing social imbalances and ensuring access to justice to all would top his government’s priority areas.

The problems being faced by the people got multiplied because of the self-centred approach of the ruling junta, he added. He said his government would go allout with a “focussed approach” to remove the mess so that the people could see positive changes around them.

The chief minister said a mechanism was being evolved to reform and revamp all sectors and make them subservient to the will of the people. The basic philosophy behind the creation of public-sector institutions was to resolve the public grievances but political and whimsical steps by those who ruled the people, destabilized the public sector institutions and rendered them worthless.

At present, public sector was in disarray and incapable of giving any relief to the masses. He said his government would purge corrupt practices from all fields and set a clear-cut direction for the progress of the province.

“Mere words could not be the yardstick to measure the success of a government, we should not believe in rhetorics, rather our actions and sincerity to the cause that we offered to the masses in the election campaign, would be the base to adjudge our success.”

He expressed the hope that his government would gain ground on all fronts.

Referring to the overwhelming support given by the people to the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal in recent elections, Akram Durrani said people had pinned high hopes and expectations on the MMA government and added that his government would go in a planned manner to come up to their expectations.

He said the government would formulate policies in line with the people’s aspirations, adding that anti-people policies would be reversed and replaced with the people-friendly ones.

The chief minister said the MMA government was under the international media glare. His government would show to the world the true picture of Islam and people-friendly policies of his government.

The chief minister also referred to the ban imposed on transfers and postings, adding that the whole process would be depoliticized and a policy in this connection was being evolved.

Matters pertaining to mutual interest also came under discussion during the meeting. The Balochistan Assembly Speaker, Jamal Shah Kakar, highlighted his assignments in the Balochistan Assembly.

He extended an invitation to the chief minister and speaker NWFP Assembly to visit Balochistan, which they accepted.

Speaker NWFP Assembly Bakht Jehan Khan, central secretary-general of JUI-F Ghafoor Haideri, MMA general-secretary Gul Naseeb Khan and provincial leaders Mufti Kifayatullah and Jalil Jan were also present on the occasion.