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SHIKARPUR, May 5: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has said that there is no need for holding midterm elections in the country. Talking to newsmen on Wednesday, on the occasion of luncheon hosted in his honour by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam at the Madressah Qadria, he said that elected representatives should be allowed to fulfil their promises they had made with the people.
He said that the country was in the grip of terrorism encouraged by anti-Islamic forces who wanted to control the Muslim world. Replying to a questioner, he said that the Kalabagh dam was only a political issue to misguide people as the government had no funds to implement such a mega project.
He demanded that the Bhasha dam should be constructed if the government was really sincere to settle the problem of water shortage. He opposed the ban imposed on the movement of wheat by the Punjab government, terming it a conspiracy against flour mills of the small provinces.
SUKKUR: Mr Durrani has said that Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has taken notice of non-supply of wheat to the NWFP by Punjab and has gave an assurance that he will ask the Punjab government to review its wheat policy.
Speaking at a press conference at the circuit house here on Wednesday, he said that Mr Jamali had also assured him that if the Punjab government did not remove the ban on wheat movement, the NWFP government would be allowed to import wheat.
About the Kalabagh dam, Mr Durrani said that it should not be constructed without consensus among the provinces. Referring to the meeting of the four chief ministers on the issue, he said that they had issued a written statement, saying that the dam construction was against national integrity.
He said that instead of the Kalabagh dam, the Bhasha dam should be constructed. He said that he would meet the committee on water, led by Senator Nasir Memon, on May 9 and 10 and show the members spots where small dams could be constructed.
Terming the Wana operation a blunder of the government, Mr Durrani said that he had repeatedly asked the Centre to resolve the issue through dialogue but it launched an operation. Answering a question, he said that there were no terrorists in Wana or other tribal areas.
The chief minister said that his party was ready to accord warm welcome to exiled political leaders, including Benazir Bhutto and Shahbaz Sharif. He said that his party would support any resolution in the NWFP Assembly for return of Ms Bhutto but she should face cases against her.
LARKANA: The NWFP chief minister here on Tuesday called for an early announcement of the National Finance Commission award to facilitate provinces to prepare budgets according to availability of funds.
Talking to journalists, he said that the NWFP would not withdraw from its demand of 50 per cent share in divisible pool for provinces, He said that President Gen Pervez Musharraf had asked the federal finance minister in his presence that provinces should be given more funds.
