HYDERABAD, March 25: The Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry has expressed surprise over Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali's statement that he had not announced any development package for the district.

The president of the chamber, Emad Siddiqui and senior vice- president, Najamuddin Siddiqui, in a joint statement issued here on Wednesday, said the prime minister had announced Rs10.5 billion package at the district government secretariat in presence of Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad, Sindh Chief Minister Sardar Ali Mohammad Mahar, federal minister for industries and production Liaquat Ali Jatoi, adviser to the Sindh chief minister Aftab Shaikh, Sindh chief secretary, district Nazim Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman and MNAs and MPAs.

They said the president of the chamber himself and former presidents Haji Yaqoob, Razzaq Memon, Mehmood Ahmed and Masood Pervez were also present on the occasion.

The HCC&I office-bearers said in addition to the announcement of the package, approval was also granted for the construction of Latifabad overhead bridge, water supply and sewerage schemes of the district and regularization of katchi abadis.

They said although this package was not enough but the people had accepted it and expressed grateful thanks to the prime minister. They said the business community of the district paid Rs20 billion to the federal and Sindh governments per annum in different taxes and added that even if 30 per cent of amount per annum was spent on the development of Hyderabad, it will come to Rs6 billion per annum.

Supporting the resolution of the district council on the issue of the Hyderabad Development Package, they appealed to the President Pervez Musharraf to use his good offices for the restoration of Hyderabad Development Package.

CASES LODGED: The railway police have lodged a case against 600 protesters who vandalized 33-Super Express, smashing 33 of its windowpanes on Wednesday to protest non- availability of drinking water.