QUETTA, Feb 17: The country's rich and poor areas should be given equal share for the next decade in the next NFC award, chief of the Millat Party Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari said.

He was speaking at the party's convention in Sibi on Monday evening. Mr Leghari said the population-based NFC award would not resolve the problems of smaller provinces, adding equal share for all provinces was vital for resolving various problems.

"It is vital for bringing under-developed provinces on a par with developed areas of the country." He said that Balochistan's demand for a share matching its area would not resolve its financial problems.

The chief of the Millat Party expressed criticized the provincial government, saying its attitude with its allies was unsatisfactory, adding: "The government is not giving due importance to its allies."

Blaming the bureaucracy of disregarding even ministerial orders, saying they were making decisions on their own.

Expressing concern over the situation, he said that if Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Yousuf did not take immediate notice of the situation, his government would suffers, adding it would not be able to resolve the people's problems.

"Jam Yousuf must rein in the bureaucracy, which is defying even the ministers' orders and is running the province's affairs according to their own whims," Mr Leghari said.

He said that Millat party was supporting the government because President Gen Pervez Musharraf was implementing some of the development programmes proposed by his party.

Describing his party a democratic one, Mr Leghari said the party believed in people's participation in the decision-making process, adding the Millat Party would support the poor and work for eliminating corruption.

Defending the dismissal of the second PPP government, saying that Pakistan could have faced a very serious consequences if Benazir Bhutto had remained in power for a few more days.

Criticizing the nationalistic politics in Balochistan, he said it did not serve the cause of the masses. Stressing the need for modern and technical education, the Millat Party's chief said that local people should be given jobs without any discrimination.

Praising President Musharraf for implementing the Saindak Project, he said a huge amount of money would have gone down the drain if the project had not resumed production.

Federal Minister for Agriculture and Food Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind also spoke on the occasion, saying that the government of Balochistan had been given Rs720 million for implementing the Chagai development project.

Others, who spoke on the occasion, included secretary-general of Millat Party Senator Mohammad Ali Durrani, provincial ministers Shah Zaman Rind, Mir Asim Kurd and Arbab Hashim.