September 20, 2003	Saturday	Rajab 22, 1424

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QUETTA, Sept 19: A joint meeting of the treasury and opposition benches was held here on Friday to discuss the latter’s grievances regarding the Public Sector Development Programme and decided to include uplift schemes of members previously neglected in the PSDP.

The meeting was chaired by Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Muhammad Yousuf.

Participants included, Speaker Balochistan Assembly Jamal Shah Kakar, Minister for P&D Maulana Abdul Wasay, Mir Jan Jamali, Minister for S&GAD Mir Abdur Rehman Jamali, opposition leader Kachkol Ali Baloch, Parliamentary leader of PMAP Rahim Ziaratwal, and Akbar mengal Parliamentary leader of BNP-M.

Mr Ziaratwal PMAP told this correspondent that parleys with the government regarding the PSDP allocations were successful to the extent that the government had sought lists related to the development schemes that would now be included in the PSDP, Italian government-funded schemes for Afghan refugees and the prime minister’s billion-rupee donation.

He said that the Pukhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party had provided a list of schemes to Additional Chief Secretary (Development) which would incorporate proposals from the Balochistan National Movement, the Balochistan National Party-M, the Jamhoori Watan Party, and the People’s Party Parliamentarians, adding that a party delegation would now discuss the problem with P&D officers.

When asked if the opposition and independent members were satisfied with the outcome of the Friday’s deliberations, the PMAP member stated that it now depended on the government as to how far they were accommodated in this regard.

Opposition members had staged a walkout from the provincial assembly’s session to protest the government’s attitude regarding resolution of the problems faced by people in their constituencies but they had resumed the assembly proceedings when the chair had assured them that a joint meeting would be held on Saturday to tackle the matter.