November 22, 2006	Wednesday	Shawwal 29, 1427

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PESHAWAR, Nov 21: The NWFP Assembly through a unanimous resolution passed on Tuesday expressed concern over mysterious disappearance of Dawn and BBC correspondent Dilawar Khan Wazir and called upon the federal government to ensure recovery of the people missing from different parts the country.

Bashir Ahmed Bilour of the Awami National Party and Sirajul Haq and Mian Nadir Shah of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal tabled a joint resolution, expressing concern over the ‘disappearance’ of Mr Wazir, a Wana-based journalist, and holding the federal government responsible for ‘forcible disappearance’ of some journalists from the tribal areas.

Earlier, when the house resumed its business, Mr Bilour drew its attention to the disappearance of Mr Wazir and said if journalists were not secure in the country, no one else could be safe.

He said that two years ago journalist Hayatullah Khan was kidnapped from North Waziristan and six months later his bullet-riddled body was found on the hills near Mirali. Mr Bilour asked the speaker to suspend the rules and allow him to table a resolution on the issue.

Mr Haq endorsed the proposal and asked the chair to let them move a joint resolution. Speaker Bakht Jehan Khan suspended the rules and allowed the lawmakers to table the resolution.

The movers one by one tabled the resolution and asked Islamabad to ensure safe recovery of those ‘kidnapped’ from different parts of the country over the past four years.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Haq said if someone was involved in any crime, he should be brought to the court and added that kidnapping of citizens was itself a crime.

WATER SHORTAGE: Later, the house discussed a question raised by Abdul Majid Khan about non-provision of irrigation water to the farmers of Swabi and Mardan.

Speaking on the issue, Abdul Akbar Khan of the People's Party Parliamentarians said that three areas of Swabi and four of Mardan could be irrigated if the government set up a water uplift system in both the districts.

He said that 48,000 acres could be brought under cultivation if it was provided water through uplift system.

He said: “The government has spent Rs6.5billion on Pehur High Level Canal to facilitate the farmers of remote areas which depend on rains.”

The climate of Rustam and Sadoom areas of Mardan district was suitable for cash crops but it lacked water, Mr Khan said and proposed construction of ponds and delay action dams in the areas. He said that the measures would benefit at least 20,000 families of both the districts.

Provincial Irrigation and Power Minister Hafiz Akhtar Ali said that the government had approved the Baizai irrigation system to provide water to maximum barren areas.

The house also discussed another question raised by Nisar Safdar Khan about appointment of a lady doctor and a dental surgeon at the rural health centre in his constituency in Havelian.

He said that the government had spent millions of rupees on the construction of the health centre but it lacked a lady doctor and dental surgeon.

NWFP Health Minister Inyatullah Khan said that the government had sanctioned 16 posts for the health centre but had yet to post there a lady doctor and a dental surgeon.

He said that the government had terminated the services of 400 doctors who were on leave and had failed to report at their work places.

He said the government was facing such problems.