PESHAWAR, April 14: NWFP Senior Minister Sirajul Haq has said that the federal government has to demonstrate its generosity in providing required resources and authority to the province if it was sincere in making the local government system a success and solving problems of the people at local level. He was talking to a delegation of people from the districts of Upper and Lower Dir led by District nazims Sahibzada Tariqullah and Ihsanul Haq who had called on him at his office here and apprised him of the problems faced by the people of their districts.

The minister said that people pinned hopes on the provincial government for solving their problems, but most of the powers and resources were vested with the centre while its judicious and transparent distribution among the provinces had become a hurdle.

The minister said the government had accepted the district government system with all sincerity in the public interest and transferred all required powers and resources to them. He said the NWFP was undergoing immense financial, economic and development problems.

Mr Siraj said that the provincial and district governments could be strengthened if the province was paid hydel net profit with outstanding arrears of Rs345 billion was given to us. He assured the delegation that proper steps for solution of problems would be taken. Besides, he added, federal government would be approached including the NHA authorities for starting work on Timergara to Dir Khas Highway and ensuring its early construction.

He said that tourism could be promoted through construction of this highway in the area that was also a goal of the federal government.—PPI