December 31, 2002	Tuesday	Shawwal 26, 1423

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PESHAWAR, Dec 30: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani said on Monday that the provincial government did not want confrontation with the local governments.

Speaking at a meeting on the local government system, the chief minister said the government would follow the rules to ensure smooth running of provincial affairs. The merits and demerits of the local government system would be reviewed and efforts would be made to bring positive changes to it, he said.

Declaring that he would respect the law and ask others to follow suit, the chief minister warned that the commission constituted on the local government system had been asked to submit its reports twice in a year. Failure to do so would amount to violation of the law, he said.

He ordered formulation of a mechanism for distribution of funds under Khushal Pakistan Programme so that injustice was not committed with any area.

He was told that Rs476m had so far been received by the province for devolution of powers under the system. The amount has been released to the districts for their immediate  expenditures and the construction of district secretariats.

He was told initially district ombudsmen were being appointed at Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Abbottabad and Swat.