PESHAWAR, July 1: The NWFP Assembly on Thursday congratulated Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on his assuming the office of prime minister and hoped that he would work to eradicate poverty and end unemployment and help the NWFP in securing its rights.

The assembly unanimously adopted a congratulatory resolution jointly moved by Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani, Qazi Mohammad Asad Khan, Qalandar Khan Lohdi and Nighat Orakzai of the Pakistan Muslim League and Makhdoom Mureed Kazim of the PPP-S.

They said that Chaudhry Shujaat's elevation to the office of prime minister was a good omen for democratic forces of the country. NWFP Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Malik Zafar Azam said his government too congratulated him and hoped that he worked for the enforcement of Islamic Shariat in the country.

He said the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government hoped that the new prime minister would extend his full support to the demands of the NWFP. Senior Minister Sirajul Haq also welcomed Chaudhry Shujaat's election as prime minister.

Legislators belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League (N) neither supported nor opposed the resolution. Khalid Waqar Chamkani of the MMA said Chaudhry Shujaat should be made permanent prime minister of the country.

"We will not accept any 'imported person' to replace Chaudhry Sahib," he added. Later, the house unanimously adopted four resolutions tabled by Dr Zakirullah Khan (MMA), Akhtar Nawaz Khan (MMA), Habibur Rehman (MMA) and Qazi Mohammad Asad Khan (PML-Q), regarding the appointment of the director general of the Pakistan Forest Institute, Peshawar; rehabilitation of Small Industrial Estate, Khalabutt in Haripur and appointment of female staff in girls colleges, schools and EDOs offices in Haripur.

Speaking on his resolution, Akhtar Nawaz Khan said that almost 30 years had passed but the people displaced by the construction of Tarbela Dam had not been allotted alternative land in Sindh and Punjab.

"The NWFP used to get Rs6 billion every year out of the net hydel-profit, but none of the previous governments allocated a single penny out of the sum for the people affected by Tarbela Dam," he added.

Abdul Majid of the MMA had to withdraw a resolution opposing early repatriation of Afghan refugees to their country. Finance Minister Sirajul Haq opposed the resolution and asked the mover to withdraw it as it was contrary to the government policy.

Yasmin Pir Mohammad Khan of the Awami National Party demanded that the government should encourage Huffaz of Quran and teachers of theology and Arabic, and give them one increment in salaries. But the finance and education ministers opposed the demand, saying this would put an additional burden on the exchequer.

The mover, along with other MPAs, walked out of the house and alleged that the MMA was depriving poor teachers of increments on one pretext or the other. Deputy Speaker Ikramullah Shahid, who was presiding over the session, had to adjourn the proceedings owing to lack of quorum.

The house also considered a privilege motion tabled by Shah Raz Khan of the MMA against the reporter and editor of a local newspaper. He said the paper, in its May 16 report, had said that the mover, along with other MMA lawmakers, attended a musical gala, which hurt him as his party was opposed to music.

On a point of order, Syed Amanat Shah of the MMA referred to a news item published in the same newspaper on Thursday. Mr Shah said that according to a news report filed by Arif Yousufzai in the same paper, human rights activist and lawyer Kamran Arif had made 'sacrilegious' remarks at a seminar on Wednesday.

He asked the government to take legal action against him. Shah Raz Khan of the MMA also spoke on the issue and demanded that the government register an FIR against the accused in the light of the newspaper's report. The speaker adjourned the house till 9.30am to meet again on Friday.