May 9, 2005	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 29, 1426

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QUETTA, May 8: The provincial secretary general of the PML, Mr Jaffar Khan Mandokhel, has strongly criticized the role of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) in the province and alleged that it was creating hurdles in the implementation of development projects launched by the federal government.

Talking to newsman here on Sunday, he said that after the announcement of various development projects for Zhob and other areas of the province by President General Musharraf, the provincial coalition partner MMA had adopted a negative attitude towards the PML by opposing these projects.

“The MMA is putting obstacles in the path of development projects as they had been launched in Zhob and other areas with the efforts of the PML,” Jaffar Khan said, and added that the attitude of the MMA would not be tolerated as the PML believed in development of the province.

He criticized the policies of the MMA and said that on the one hand the leadership of the MMA was opposing President Musharraf while on the other hand they were taking credit for development projects launched by the federal government under the policy of President Musharraf for speedy development of Balochistan to bring it at par with other provinces.

Mr Mandokhel, who also remained finance minister in the past, said that with the efforts of the president and former prime minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Kalat, Pishin and Ziarat were provided natural gas but MMA leaders and ministers were trying to take credit for it despite the fact that people knew who made the efforts for the provision of gas to these cities.

He said that the president recently visited Zhob where he addressed a big public rally and announced to link Balochistan via Zhob with the NWFP, Punjab and the federal capital Islamabad through construction of roads and laying down of railway lines.

He announced the construction of a gateway at Karez Qamaruddin, a border town in Zhob, which would generate a lot of trade and business activities.

Mr Mandokhel said: “With these developments Zhob will become the second biggest trade centre of Balochistan after Quetta.”

Replying to a question, he said that despite being a coalition partner the MMA was cutting the roots of the PML in the province. “It is unfortunate that the provincial government has provided the MMA with an axe which it was using for cutting PML roots in the province,” the PML provincial general secretary said.