April 02, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 24, 1429

PESHAWAR, April 1: Expressing confidence in the leadership of Amir Haider Khan Hoti as leader of the House, all the opposition parties in the provincial assembly hope that the coalition government will not push its political rivals to the wall and take them on board regarding vital matters.

Welcoming his election as chief executive of the province here on Tuesday, former chief minister Akram Khan Durrani said they would play their role as true opposition in and outside the assembly.

“We did not believe in opposition for the sake of opposition and will support every positive action of the government,” remarked Mr Durrani who is expected to be declared leader of opposition in the House. The august House conveyed the message that treasury and opposition benches were fully united and would safeguard rights of the province, he added. He said that the new government would face stark issues like terrorism, poverty and unemployment. He said that Mr Hoti’s government would give due role to the opposition parties in the province.

Israrullah Gandapur of PPP-S said that the new government would not repeat policies of its predecessor and would take along all the opposition parties in the province. He strongly criticised Mutahidda Majlis-i-Amal that ruled the province for five years and said that the previous government had sidelined the opposition parties and ignored opposition members in allocation of funds for development projects.

“We hope that the new government will not repeat its predecessor’s mistakes and will equally distribute funds among all the 24 districts,” he said. He alleged that MMA government had allocated funds to only few districts which caused sense of deprivation among other districts.

Parliamentary leader of PML-Q Qalander Lodhi appreciated pragmatic approach of Chief Minister Haider Hoti and said that negotiation was the key to all issues including militancy. He said that new government would focus on improving law and order situation in the province.

PML-N parliamentary leader Pir Sabir Shah said that international community had focused on the NWFP due to prevailing situation in the region. He said that provincial government would initiate dialogue to address main issues including militancy.

Abdul Akbar Khan of PPP said that the new government would handle situation through political wisdom. He said that people of the province had been passing through critical situation. He said that provincial government under the leadership of Mr Hoti would focus on lawlessness. He welcomed the prime minister’s 100 days plan and hoped that the concurrent list would be abolished within a year.