July 13, 2008	Sunday	Rajab 9, 1429

HYDERABAD, July 12: Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Ahmad Khuhro has dismissed reports of friction in the Pakistan People’s Party and alienation of senior party leaders.

Makhdoom Amin Fahim himself had denied any rifts in the party, Khuhro said in answer to journalists’ queries at Bhurgari House on Friday.

He said that the present government had received mandate for five years and it had been in the office only for three months. The government was not blind to the problems confronting the country, including law and order, poverty, unemployment and price hike, which it had received from the previous government, he said.

He held international economic recession partly responsible for the country’s economic woes and expressed resolve the government would solve all the problems.

To a question about formation of Thar Coal Authority with nine members, six of whom were appointees of the federal government, he said that the authority’s chairman was none other than Sindh chief minister himself who would ensure Sindh’s rights were fully protected.

He recalled that Benazir Bhutto that had taken initiative in 1993-94 to explore coal deposits in Thar but previous governments had slept on the issue.

He said that now feasibility report had been prepared for the launch of a big project for generation of electricity and required guarantees had been provided to foreign investors. “We will even be looking forward to exporting electricity,” he said.

He said that a joint strategy was being evolved to tackle all the important issues and denied reports of friction in the party. “People will surely judge us for our performance in the next elections,” Khuhro said.

Abut the powers of governor and chief minister, he said that in democracy the balance of power was to be maintained between the chief executive of the province and the representatives of the federation.

Governors wielded more powers in the absence of parliament but after an elected government had been put in place the chief minister was the chief executive, he said.

In answer to Karachi city nazim’s utterances, he said that even the MQM had disowned his remarks and sough an explanation from him.

About the government’s achievements during last three month, he said that the CNICs were being issued free of cost, the practice of granting extension to retired officers had been abolished, tens of thousands of houses were being constructed under low cost housing scheme, which would create thousands of additional jobs and give a boost to economy.