07 January 2005	Friday	25 Ziqa'ad 1425

LAHORE, Jan 6: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Thursday asked the PML and allied parties' MPAs to prepare for the local elections, hinting at an administrative reshuffle at the district level.

The chief minister was presiding over a parliamentary party meeting prior to the start of the provincial assembly session here. According to sources, he informed the closed-door meeting that there would be replacement of the officers and officials who were not serving the people diligently. They would be replaced by 'people-friendly' officers.

They said the chief minister made it clear on the assembly members that winning the local government elections was necessary for the ruling party and its allies for, its result would reflect the general election scenario, which would be held in 2007.

"Though the election would be held on a non-party basis, it would be a test of all the political parties. All PML MPAs and office-bearers should jointly prepare for the election as it is necessary to strengthen the PML," Mr Elahi was quoted as having said.

Sources said the chief minister told the MPAs that the MSF had been disbanded in the province because of involvement of its main members allegedly in illegal activities like land grabbing. "The PML youth wing would instead be organized and strengthened," he reportedly said.

The chief minister said the decision to disband the MSF had been taken to clean the educational institutions from politics, adding that other political parties must also follow the suit.

Earlier, he said the MPAs must play their role in the efforts to resolve common people's problems and reducing poverty. The chief minister said the performance of the MPAs had been satisfactory during the last two years and they had made record legislation during the time.

He said a law about the terms and condition of government servants employment be passed during the current session. This would redress their long standing problem of getting proforma promotion without approaching courts for the purpose.

He said the session would also take up for adoption the King Edward Medical College University Bill which would help improve the standard of medical education. The chief minister mentioned the new plan to improve the livestock sector which "would bring about a revolution in the rural life." The government had also decided to install milk processing plants to ensure optimum use of milk.

He said by announcing that the next general elections would be held in 2007, the president had removed ambiguity. He told the members about the plan on environment which was being launched from five cities. Under the project only CNG buses would be allowed to operate. Similarly, the owners of four-stroke rickshaws would be given route permits.