September 18, 2006	Monday	Sha'aban 24, 1427

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ATTOCK, Sept 17: Minister of State for Environment Malik Amin Aslam said the government had allocated Rs8 billion to install water filtration plants in every union council by the end of 2007.

He was speaking at a public meeting after inaugurating the first water filtration plant of the district at Attock City UC-II on Saturday.

He said the project would not only provide clean drinking water to the masses, but also help overcome the spread of diseases, particularly hepatitis and diarrhoea.

The minister said under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the target of filtration plants’ installation was to be achieved till year 2015, but the environment ministry would complete the task before time in 2007 due to personal interest of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

He said the government had also increased the ministry’s budget by 700 per cent so that sufficient funds were available for various environmental projects. Efforts are also on to make the industrial sector more environment friendly, he added.

Mr Aslam said the ministry was also utilising its all resources to create awareness of environmental standards.

Speaking on the occasion, the UC nazim Rana Shaukat Ali Khan criticised the district and tehsil government for its “indifferent attitude”, claiming it did not provide any development funds due to political reasons.

Earlier, the state minister inaugurated the water filtration plant installed at the cost of Rs1.2 million.

Balochistan issue: PPP leader Malik Hakmeen Khan has said the Balochistan issue could have been settled through negotiations instead of the killing Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti in a military operation.

Talking to Dawn here on Sunday, he termed the incident a great national tragedy and said the country could not afford such type of incidents as it was already passing through crucial times due to serious internal and external threats.

Mr Khan, who is also ARD’s chief coordinator, said the PPP had always opposed the military operation in Balochistan and called for finding a political solution to the problem through a dialogue.