20 June 2004	Sunday	01 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

PESHAWAR, June 19: Awami National Party's central vice-president Haji Mohammad Adeel has said that NWFP's new budget would promote VIP culture in the poverty-ridden province.

In a press release issued here on Saturday, he said that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) government had reintroduced special car number plates to promote the VIP culture in society.

He said that the previous government had banned special number plates for cars in use of high government authorities and introduced computerized number plates to strike a balance. But the MMA government repealed the decision which would not serve the interest of the common people, he added.

Haji Adeel said the provincial assembly had unanimously passed a resolution to exempt personal residence, car and weapons from tax, because it was un-Islamic.

He said the so-called 'Islamists' not only ignored the verdict of the Council of Islamic Ideology, but also bypassed the unanimous resolution of the provincial assembly.

He pointed out that in the previous budget the government had provided annual subsidy of Rs13.5 billion for the purchase of wheat, but the MMA government withdrew this facility which would further burden the masses.

He said that medical bills of the provincial ministers had been increased and even their relatives had occupied VVIP rooms in public sector hospitals free of charge.

He denied the claim of the provincial finance minister that non-development expenditures had been reduced and purchase of new cars had been banned.

Haji Adeel said that during the election campaign the MMA leaders had pledged that the Governor House would be converted into university. However, in the new budget, millions had been earmarked for the renovation and beautification of the Governor Houses in Peshawar and Nathiagali.