SARGODHA, April 23: Construction of Kalabagh dam will begin this year as Gen Pervez Musharraf is sure the project, after its completion, will help meet water and power needs of the country. Talking to journalists here at press club on Friday night, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan Niazi said the issue had been politicized.

He added that the government was considering to hold local bodies’ elections under the supervision of administrators, but to make the polls totally transparent and impartial, all the DCOs already working with nazmeen should be transferred.

Administrators would soon replace nazims, he said, and added there were many flaws in the Local Government system but the old one would not be restored, not even the magisterial powers.

Replying to a question, he said that he had not arranged any deal between the government and the PPP, however, he added that it might had been finalized on the request of Mohatarma Benazir Bhutto.