HYDERABAD, June 12: Reconciliation has been brought about between the People’s Party-backed Awam Dost Panel and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-backed district nazim which was reflected in Thursday’s district council session when both sides vowed to strive together for making Hyderabad a model district.

The spirit of reconciliation should be seen in the backdrop of a meeting held between District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil and the ADP nazims led by Hyderabad (rural) Taluka Nazim Khawind Bux Jahejo.

Due to the meeting, the council session began two and half hours late and re-appropriation of Rs92.035 million funds for 144 development schemes was allowed by the council.

Mehboob Abro, one of the vocal ADP nazims, told the house that they were going to make a new beginning by pledging that they would work together for betterment of the city.

He said that they would keep interests of the city supreme.

“From now on the district council will have a congenial atmosphere and it will be a message to the people of Hyderabad that they have forgotten the past”, he said.

He raised no objection over the approval sought by the EDO finance for re-appropriation of Rs92.035 million funds, although he walked out of the council on Wednesday over the same issue.

He said that since the works had been taken in hand, any hurdle in approving the expenditures would lead to problems therefore these expenses should be validated.

Rashid Khan said that today’s initiative was taken in pursuance of Mr Altaf Hussain’s and Mr Asif Zardari’s agreed policy of reconciliation.

He said that both parties would now on accommodate each other in the council.

Dr Arif Razmi argued that the province demanded of both the parties to work in unison in the larger interest of Sindh.

He said that Thursday’s meeting must lead to a productive change in the district.

Hussain Bux Hussaini — today’s lone voice of dissent — opposed several items of re-appropriation of Rs92.035 million saying that excessive amount was being sought for health sector schemes and in some cases the schemes pertained to 2001-02 and 2005-06.

He walked out of the council in protest but was persuaded to come back.

Convener Zafar Ali Rajput also hailed ADP-Haq Parast Group members’ overtures to work in tandem in the district council.

He said that matters of finance had due importance and anyone’s opposition to them should not be misconstrued.

He claimed that the district government officers had committed irregularities in the past about re-appropriation of funds but said that since works were being executed any further delay in approval to fresh re-appropriation of would be tantamount to putting them on hold because the contractors needed payment.

“It is not a point of my own prestige but finance department must submit its proposals for re-appropriation first, before taking works in hand in future. I hope that officers will take care of provisions of SLGO as well,” he said.

The house also approved a resolution of Ishtiaq Ansari with recommendations to Wapda regarding the replacement of meters in UC-12 city which were damaged during December 27, 2007 riots.

The house discussed issue of load management and issuance of inflated bills by Hesco despite continuous loadshedding.