ISLAMABAD, Dec 4: Provincial and district governments are determined to work side by side for welfare and prosperity of the province.

This was stated by the Punjab chief minister, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi while talking to MNAs and MPAs of Pakistan Muslim League- Quaid-i-Azam from Rawalpindi here on Wednesday.

The chief minister asked the legislators not to fall prey to mutual confrontation with the local government.

He said few members of the local government apprehended that some sort of confrontation might surface between them and the provincial government.

Pervez Elahi stressed the need for mutual cooperation and harmony among the two sides. He advised the legislators as well as the elected counsellors to work together for the larger interest of people in their respective areas.

He asked them to fulfil aspirations of the common people with whom they had made commitments before going to the general elections. The legislators and counsellors should work for strengthening the democratic system in the country, he added.

The chief minister said Punjab government’s first priority was to eliminate poverty, backwardness and to solve the problems of the people by improving the law and order situation, eradication of unemployment, providing better health and education facilities and promotion of agriculture.

“I believe in solving the problems by taking the MNAs and MPAs into confidence.” The government will strengthen the local government and democratic systems so that these should go ahead simultaneously, he added.

Pervez Elahi told the parliamentarians that he convened a meeting of district Nazimeen in Lahore on Tuesday, while the current meeting was also a part of it so that both the systems operate with complete understanding and cohesion.

Replying to a question regarding marriage parties expenditure, the chief minister said Supreme Court’s verdict would be implemented.

However, he said: “I personally feel that excess expenditure on marriage parties should be discouraged to eliminate the inferiority complex among the poorer sections of society.”