NATHIA GALI, Aug 5: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani Thursday said he would abide by his party decision on participation in the next National Security Council meeting.

"The National Security Council is part of the Constitution. Under article 63 of the Constitution, I am bound to obey the party decision. Whatever decision is taken by the party, I will follow it," Mr Durrani told reporters after inaugurating Nathia Gali Park established by Shell Pakistan for providing recreational facilities to the people.

When asked if the provincial government was taken into confidence on Wana operation, he said the tribal areas fell in the administrative control of the governor. We have been cooperating with them when difficulties arise, he said. Mr Durrani said they were trying to resolve the issue through negotiations between different tribes and the federal government.

To a question about relations between the provincial government and the centre, Mr Durrani said they were trying their best to maintain good relations with the centre. He parried a question when asked whether the response from the federal authorities was positive.

He said the Jamali government had raised the NWFP electricity royalty from Rs6 billion to Rs8 billion. I hope Prime Minister Ch Shujaat will implement this policy. The federal government owes us Rs345 billion in royalty, he told the mediapersons. This issue was raised by the government of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, he added.

To a question about restriction on inter-provincial movement of wheat, the NWFP chief minister said they had requested the federal government for grant of Rs35 billion to build the Left Canal Irrigation system and 20 small dams in different areas in the province to achieve self-sufficiency in wheat production.

He dispelled the impression that the provincial government was following radical policies and cracking down on women and minorities. We have provided equal funds to the three minority members for development works in their constituencies, he said.

The women parliamentarians are also being treated on a par with other members, he said. We have established a women university and a girls medical college which will start admissions this year, he said. Khyber Medical College has been upgraded to the university level.

About terrorism, he said some disgruntled elements were spreading such allegations. Islam has no room for terrorism. "The law and order in NWFP is better than in all the three provinces. There has been no terrorist or suicide attack in NWFP as has happened in Punjab, Sindh and Baluchistan," he said.

"I have been roaming unescorted and so are other high-ups in the NWFP," he said, adding "there has been no security problem." Law and order and security problems arise when governments lose confidence of the people, he said. We are accessible to the people and enjoy their support, he claimed. Some people have increased distances between the rulers and the ruled, he regretted.