PESHAWAR, May 30: Only seven of the 24 districts in the NWFP have utilised their budgets during the financial year 2005-06, according to provincial Finance Minister Sirajul Haq. He was speaking at a press conference on Tuesday.

He cited rivalries among different political groups as one of the reasons for non-utilisation of development funds.

He said that non-utilisation of budget had affected the pace of social sector development.

The minister said that the provincial government had directed finance and local government departments to develop a mechanism in collaboration with nazims and district coordination officers (DCOs) concerned to ensure utilisation of funds at district level.

He claimed that the provincial government had utilised funds provided for various schemes in social and economic sectors.

Mr Siraj termed two-day NWFP Development Forum, which ended here on May 19, saying that the provincial government had attracted foreign donors through the forum.

Highlighting objectives of the forum, he said, the NWFP government was seeking financial assistance and technical help for the ongoing reforms programme besides improving the province’s image. He said that a follow-up workshop would be held in Peshawar soon after the annual budget, which would be attended by representatives of major donor agencies.

He said that the NWFP government had informed donor agencies about ongoing reforms in social and economic sectors and invited foreign investors to explore natural resources.

Mr Siraj rejected President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s remarks that extremism was on the rise in the Frontier province.

“Offering prayers, sporting beards and performing rituals have got nothing to do with extremism. Imposing dictatorship and abrogating constitution was tantamount to extremism,” he said.

He said that law and order situation was comparatively better in the NWFP than other parts of the country. He said that some elements were spreading propaganda against the NWFP government to promote a negative image of the province abroad.