LAHORE, May 22: The Tehrik-i-Istaqlal has demanded that the government should accept resignation of the chairman of technical committee on water resources. Speaking at a press conference here on Sunday, Tehrik President Rehmat Khan Wardag said A.G.N.Abbasi had been openly opposing the Kalabagh dam during his tenure as Sindh irrigation secretary and thus any unbiased and balanced report from him on this project could not be expected.

He demanded that Mr Abbasi should be replaced by Engineer Shamsul Mulk, also a technical expert from a smaller province (NWFP), and given a two-month mandate to finalize recommendations of the committee.

Mr Abbasi had resigned on Saturday alleging interference in his work by representatives from the Punjab and the NWFP on the eight-member committee. The members were reportedly demanding that they should be taken into confidence about the final recommendations before presenting them to the federal government.

Mr Wardag alleged that the independent power producers (IPPs) were also active against big water reservoirs, especially the Kalabagh, so that they could sell their production at exorbitant tariff for another couple of decades.

Commenting on the national political scene, the Tehrik president said owing to inefficient and corrupt provincial governments the internal situation was deteriorating, necessitating setting up of an interim national government.

He demanded that the forthcoming local bodies polls and later general election should be held under the proposed set-up.

He favoured Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar as prime minister in the interim set-up to effectively counter influence of the Chaudhry family who, he alleged, was violating merit by making political appointments in the province.

“In police department, 355 sub-inspectors are working as SHOs while numerous inspectors are awaiting allocation.”

Wardag also sought accountability of corrupt nazims and postponement, if the need be, of the local councils polls for a couple of months for the purpose.

Those proved corrupt in the accountability process must not be allowed to contest polls, he demanded.

He was also opposed to authorizing the provincial governments to recall district nazims. “The authority to replace a nazim must be with entrusted to the respective district council through no-confidence vote.” The Tehrik chief was concerned over reports of grabbing of lands and houses of expatriate Pakistanis in various cities.

Seeking protection to the assets of expatriates, he also demanded a special package for them to encourage their investment in the country.