PESHAWAR, May 12: The NWFP Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on Friday calling upon the federal government to withdraw the increase in prices of liquid petroleum gas (LPG).

Mian Nisar Gul, who presided over the session, allowed Kalb-i-Hasan to table his adjournment motion on the issue.

Speaking on the unprecedented rise in LPG prices, he said an LPG cylinder which was available some time ago for Rs230 was now being sold for Rs500. He also accused traders of fleecing people.

In the past, he said, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority was responsible for making any decision about LPG prices but now it had been relieved of the responsibility.

He claimed that a group of seven or eight people had monopoly over the LPG market and they earned Rs250 million daily.

“What are MNAs from the NWFP doing in Islamabad? Why are they silent over exploitation of the masses?” he asked, adding that they should take up the issue in parliament. He said there was no check on POL prices.

He demanded that the centre should hand over LPG to Ogra and establish its camp office in Peshawar.

The assembly in another resolution demanded a financial package for rehabilitation of Hangu district’s affected people.

Qari Abdullah Bangash of the Mutahidda Majlis-i-Amal in his resolution regretted that victims of February violence in the district had not been paid compensation.

He stressed the need for rehabilitating the affected people and reconstructing damaged buildings in the city.

Information Minister Asif Iqbal, however, told the house that Rs870 million had been paid to the affected people. He said the government was trying to restore the course of life in the ransacked town. He said the government would grant interest-free loans to shopkeepers, traders and other displaced people. He said the government would also set up checkposts in the area.

The assembly, despite the minister’s statement, adopted the resolution unanimously.

The house also passed the NWFP Forest Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2006.

Responding to a question, Minister for Forest Shah Raz Khan said the forest department was faced with the problem of funds recovery from people. He said contractors, other agencies and workers often failed to pay their dues. He said an amendment to the Bill was necessary to empower the FDC to recover arrears of land revenue.

During a question-answer session, the minister for forest informed the house that only 1,100 forest guards were policing forests in the province, spread over 4,400,000 acres.

The assembly also constituted a three-member committee to assess losses borne by the owner of a fish farm in Madin, Swat. The session was adjourned till Monday.