January 13, 2003	Monday	Ziqa'ad 9, 1423

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RAWALPINDI, Jan 12: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali said on Sunday that the government was cognizant of unemployment and was working to create more employment opportunities in accordance with a proper system.

Speaking at a public meeting held to mark the inauguration of a girls college and a school, the prime minister said: “We are not going to sell jobs as was the practice in the past. This time around we are going to give jobs according to a proper criteria and a system”.

Mr Jamali said he was not in the habit of making the promises he cannot fulfil, but held out the assurance that he would do his best to mitigate the sufferings of the unemployed by evolving a plan to create more job opportunities.

He assured the daily-wage earners of the Pakistan Telecommunication Company that he would look into their case.—APP

Our staff reporter adds: The prime minister said that Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal should either learn the ethics and requisites of politics, or confine itself to religious matters.

He said the MMA leaders were not the sole custodians of religion and added that others too were as much religious as they are. He advised the people to keep away from the self-styled champions of Islam.

Mr Jamali accused the MMA leadership of double-speak and said that time had come for them to decide whether they should sit on the opposition benches or support the government.

Referring to Ehtestab, Mr Jamali said masses conducted the accountability of politicians in elections.

About the democratic process, he said it was for the first time that power had been honestly transferred to the elected representatives. Recalling his long association with the PML, the prime minister said he had been the guard and polling agent of Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah.

Referring to the statements by MMA leaders, Mr Jamali said they were claiming that defeat was inevitable for the ruling party in the by-elections. He pointed out that they had said the same thing at the time of the trust vote session of the National Assembly but MNAs had rejected their call by reposing confidence in him.