14 May 2004	Friday	23 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

PESHAWAR, May 13: A visiting World Bank team has assured release of $90 million to the NWFP government as fresh tranche for executing the second phase of Structural Adjustment Credit (SAC-II) plan in the province following successful negotiations with MMA's senior minister Sirajul Haq.

The minister, during talks with a high-powered WB mission in Islamabad after returning from a three-day official visit of Turkey and attending an international education conference in Istanbul to highlight the viewpoint of MMA on reforms in education sector, deliberated upon financial requirements and plight of the province, said a handout issued here on Wednesday.

He said continuation of fiscal aid would go a long way in promoting the cause of strengthening ties among world communities and raising credibility and popularity of international monetary organizations.

Similarly, it also depicted desire of the people of the province to march on the road to progress and prosperity shoulder to shoulder with other nations and hence such assistance must not be affected anyway, he reiterated.

The WB team after the meeting with Mr Haq not only assured early release of the loan, but also increasing such aid to fulfil all future requirements of the province.

Mr Haq later called on Federal Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz at his office in Islamabad and apprised him of the demands and desires of the people and the NWFP government on two-point agenda of ensuring the NFC award and hydel net profit share.

He said the people of the province expected flexibility and not intransigence on part of the centre to resolve the two issues amicably, keeping in view the immense resource constraints of the province, in a bid to remove the sense of deprivation among the people.

Mr Aziz assured Mr Haq of sympathetic consideration hinting that the prime minister may announce some bold steps soon in this respect.