QUETTA, April 20: A joint meeting of the chief ministers of the four provinces will be held here next week to evolve a consensus formula for the distribution of federal resources in the next National Finance Commission Award.

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf told newsmen after inaugurating Bleli Bridge constructed at Quetta-Chaman National Highway, here on Tuesday. "I have invited the chief ministers of three other provinces to Quetta next week so that they could evolve a consensus on distribution formula," Jam Yousuf said, adding that the chief ministers would meet in Quetta and Ziarat to discuss the differences among the provinces regarding the next NFC distribution formula.

He said Balochistan had presented its stand on the next NFC Award and it was optimistic that Islamabad would not disappoint the government and people of this backward province. "We will reach at a consensus NFC formula in the joint meeting," the chief minister hoped.

He said two provinces, Sindh and the NWFP, had agreed with the Balochistan proposal regarding the distribution of federal resources. "I am hopeful Punjab will also support our stance on the distribution formula in the Quetta meeting," he remarked.

Balochistan, he said, had appointed President Gen Pervez Musharraf as an arbitrator for the next NFC Award and "we hope he would protect due rights of the people of the province in the next NFC award."

Replying to a question about the protest launched by the nazims and councillors, Jam Yousuf said they had taken to the streets without talking about their powers and problems with the provincial government.

He said the government would consider the demand of the district nazims and councillors regarding handing over of the Water and Sanitation Authority (Wasa) to the Quetta city district government. "If, under the devolution plan, Wasa came under the city district government, the provincial government will not hesitate to hand over the department to the former," he added.

He, however, said the nazims and councillors were in fact protesting for Rs8 billion that Islamabad had provided for the great Quetta Water Supply Scheme to overcome water shortage in the city. "This fund belongs to the people and we will spend it for water supply and sanitation project," the chief minister added.

Referring to the construction of national highways in the province, he said these projects had been launched in view of the future's trade agreements between Pakistan, China, and Central Asian Republics.

Replying to a question, he said the government was awaiting the tribunal report on March 2 killings and burning of Quetta city and it would take further steps for maintaining law and order in the city and other areas of the province after receiving the report.

Earlier, the chief minister inaugurated the newly-constructed bridge linking Quetta with border town Chaman. The General Manger of the National Highways Authority, Aziz Mirza, speaking on the occasion, said 34.6-metre-long bridge has been completed at a cost of Rs20 million.