24 September 2004	Friday	08 Shaban 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 23: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Thursday the government would soon brief parliamentary leaders of opposition parties about the anti-militant operation in the tribal area as part of a policy to consult them on important issues.

He told newsmen in his parliament chamber that the ruling coalition in parliament would also be briefed on the situation arising out of the operation near Wana.

He described a briefing on the subject given by a two-member government committee to the cabinet on Wednesday as "very useful" and said: "Now we will invite opposition parliamentary leaders." He said the briefing would be held soon but did not give any dates.

Mr Aziz said he planned to address the nation before the Ramazan began to give an "outline" of how his government planned to tackle people's major problems, including those relating to prices of consumer goods, employment opportunities, education and health facilities etc.

TARGETS RECEIVED: Answering questions, he said ministers of his new cabinet and secretaries of ministers had sent him lists of future performance targets they had set for themselves.

He said these targets, whose implementation is to be reviewed after every three months, would be finalized soon in his meetings with the cabinet ministers, ministers of state and secretaries. But, he said, there might be some delay in the case of Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri and Information and Broadcasting Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed as they were out of the country.