June 17, 2003	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 16, 1424

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NOWSHERA, June 16: Federal Minister for Water and Power Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao said on Monday the NWFP government is concentrating on petty issues instead of focusing on good governance and economic development of the province.

Addressing an oath-taking ceremony of District Bar Association, Nowshera, he said that smashing billboards, changing the school uniforms, passing the Hasba Bill, envisaging sweeping powers for the proposed district Mohtasibs had damaged the country’s interest abroad. As the result the World Bank had stopped the $90 million loan to Pakistan.

He said the West was apprehensive of Talibanization in Pakistan and the recent measures of the NWFP government had strengthen its impression.

Mr Sherpao criticized the tussle between the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) government and the Centre, saying that the federal government from the very first day had extended all-out support to the NWFP government.

He said that the participation of Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali in the oath-taking ceremony of the NWFP government followed by a number of his meetings with the provincial cabinet was centre’s assurance for the development of the province.

Likewise, President Gen Pervez Musharraf also met Chief Minister Akram Durrani and extended full support of the federal government.

However, the MMA government did not reciprocate and adopted the path of confrontation.

The federal minister said that the opposition members accepted the clauses of the Legal Framework Order (LFO) which suited them, while rejected those which affected their personal aggrandizement.

About federal budget allocations for water, he said that Rs 150 billion would be spent on major projects in water and energy sectors till the year 2006.

The minister said that the national grid would get 450 mega watt electricity from Ghazi Barotha project by August and till the next financial year 1,450 kilo watt electricity would be achieved from it.

Mr Sherpao said that apart from hydel electricity, power houses, running on coal and gas, were also being set up so that the power rates could be brought down.

He said that Rs4 billion had been spent on the modernization of transmission system of electricity in the country.

Aftab Sherpao administered oath to the elected members and announced Rs50,000 grant for the District Bar.