HYDERABAD, June 19: A meeting of the Awami Tehrik general council has rejected the Sindh budget and demanded release of details of development works carried out in the province during the current fiscal year.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, Tehrik chief Rasool Bux Palijo said the council was of the opinion that the special package announced in the Sindh budget was meant for the terrorists and would be given to the ruling parties’ district governments as political bribe.

He slammed the Sindh government for not giving importance to the health and education sectors and said insufficient funds had been earmarked for the two most important sectors.

Mr Palijo said the allocation of funds in the provincial budget for the construction of small dams would level ground for the construction of big dams.

Criticising the federal budget, he said the measures taken would benefit the ruling Pakistan Muslim League.

Mr Palijo said his party had rejected the NFC award announced by President General Pervez Musharraf because the powers to take decision on the issue were vested only with the National Finance Commission.

There was no provision in the constitution of an interim NFC award, he added.

Mr Palijo welcomed the charter of democracy signed by Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif.

He, however, regretted that there was no clause for strengthening the upper house of parliament. He said parliamentary democracy could only prove successful in the country if 1940 resolution was implemented in letter and spirit.