January 19, 2006	Thursday	Zilhaj 18, 1426

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LAHORE, Jan 18: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said on Wednesday by opposing Kalabagh dam the PPP had reduced itself to a regional party, exposing its real face before the people of Punjab.

He was speaking at a function near the Wagah Check Post after inaugurating the construction of the Wagah-Daroghawala stretch of the GT Road here. The 135-foot wide dual carriageway would be constructed at a cost of Rs1.33 billion in six months, ensuring a smooth travel especially for Indian Sikh pilgrims up to their holy places in Nankana.

The chief minister said Punjab had always talked of national interests and of the entire country, never showing any kind of bias towards others, electing prime ministers from Sindh (Ms Bhutto and her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto) thrice.

But, he said, by opposing the Kalabagh dam the PPP had now exposed itself before the people of Punjab, proving that it was interested only in getting votes without any sincerity. The party had cheated the people of Punjab and wanted to snatch the livelihood from its farmers, he alleged.

“As to how it can claim itself to be a national party. It has now become a regional party because national parties talk of the nation and the country,” the chief minister said.

He praised President Pervez Musharraf for the decisions he had taken about the NFC award and big dams in his address to the nation on Tuesday. The president had always taken difficult decisions in the best interests of the people and the country, he said.

Pervaiz Elahi said the president’s decision on the NFC Award was based on justice. It would benefit all provinces and increase their funds.

He said the president had also taken the decision about the construction of dams while making an attempt to take all provinces along. The president had no bias towards anyone and he wanted progress of the country and welfare of the people, he said.

He said the construction of the road would benefit the people of the villages in the area and Indian tourists and Sikh pilgrims.

The CM announced the establishment of a women degree college in the locality. Four more canals and gas would also be given to the area.