HYDERABAD, March 21: Six Nazims of the City taluka union councils have urged the district Nazim to constitute an effective coalition to ensure the release of Hyderabad Development Package funds. They suggested that the coalition should comprise members of the district, taluka and union councils and representatives of different political parties.

Speaking at a news conference in the press club on Sunday on behalf of the UC Nazims, Q. Hakim said District Nazim Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman should also seek cooperation of the Sindh government for the restoration of package by the federal government.

He also appealed to the political parties, specially the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, to perform their role for the release of development funds. Mr Hakim said a grand convention of the councillors, Nazims and Naib Nazims should be held and the district Nazim should apprise them about the correct situation and take them into confidence for evolving future strategy.

He added a round-table conference of the political parties should also be convened to make the struggle more effective. Mr Hakim said the rural and urban population of the district was faced with innumerable problems. He said the restoration of infrastructure, keeping in view the future requirements, were on the top of priority list of the district government.

He said the 2.5 million neglected people of Hyderabad district who for the years had been deprived of basic facilities such as clean drinking water, sewerage system and roads had welcomed the local bodies system introduced by Gen Musharraf.

He said the people of the district had pinned a lot of hopes on the development package announced by the prime minister. He said the package of Rs10.5 billion was a key for the survival and development of local bodies system.

Similarly, Mr Hakim said, Rs500 million package announced by the Sindh governor, an amount of Rs141 million of ADP and 86 million of sugar cess were equally important for the development of the district.

Mr Hakim pointed out that the district, taluka and union councils at this stage were not in a position to carry out any development work and added that this was only possible with the help of federal and Sindh government.

He said if this help was denied the people would become frustrated and reject the local bodies system. He said the statement of the prime minister that he was unaware of Rs10.5 billion Hyderabad Development Package had greatly disappointed 2.5 million people of the district.

He said inordinate delay in the release of funds by the Sindh government was also a matter of deep concern. Paying compliments to district Nazim for handling these issues in a sangfroid manner, he extended full support of all the elected representatives to him.

He made it clear that the elected representatives of the people did not want any confrontation with the government. Mr Hakim said in the larger interest of the people and for the survival and continuity of Gen Musharraf's system and for the just rights of the people of the district "we reserve the right to protest".

He said if the situation so warranted the elected representatives of the people would not hesitate from tendering their resignations and seeking justice from the superior judiciary against the federal system.

He appealed to President Gen Pervez Musharraf to take notice of the situation. He also appealed to the Sindh governor to take notice of the excesses perpetrated against the Hyderabad district and ensure the release of Rs500 million governor's special package, Rs141 million ADP funds and Rs86 million sugar cess amount.

He said the funds should be kept in account No.4 to undertake development works as amount kept in the bank account could not lapse. UC-7 Nazim Rauf Jafri, UC-13 Nazim Majeed Qureshi, UC-2 Nazim Rasheed Qureshi, UC-6 Nazim Sultan Rajput, UC-8 Nazim Saleem Khan and UC-5 Nazim Dilshad Khan were also present on the occasion.