ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: The October 8 earthquake shifted the focus of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) government in the NWFP more towards rehabilitation of the victims than enforcing the Hisba ordinance in the province. This was stated by NWFP Law Minister Malik Zafar Azam while talking to the press at the Supreme Court building here on Friday.

The present priority is not the Hisba bill but relief and rehabilitation work in the quake-devastated areas, he said.

For obvious reasons, the MMA government has deferred approval of the Hisba bill though the bill amended in the light of the Supreme Court’s observation has already been placed before the assembly, he said, adding that both the opposition and the treasury had jointly decided to defer the matter for an indefinite period.

The earthquake adversely affected 17,000 square-kilometre area of the province and the gigantic task of rehabilitation is the top priority of the provincial government, he said.

On July 14, 2005, the assembly adopted the Hisba bill by 68 votes against 34. The bill envisaged creation of the office of a ombudsman with special powers to implement Islamic laws in the province.

However, the law invited sharp criticism, as a result President Gen Pervez Musharraf filed a reference with the Supreme Court against the bill seeking opinion under its advisory jurisdiction.

Consequently, a larger bench declared certain provisions of the bill as against the Constitution and directed the governor of the NWFP not to assent to the bill in its present form.

Referring to the construction of the Kalabagh Dam, Mr Azam accused President Musharraf of deliberately creating a hype on the issue to divert public attention from alleged irregularities in the quake rehabilitation funds.

“NWFP government believes that Bhasha Dam should be built first. In this regard, Chief Minister Akram Durrani has also said that Bhasha Dam should be given priority over Kalabagh.”