PESHAWAR, Dec 24: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has vowed that he will never compromise on the rights of the province to ensure progress and development in the backward areas of the province.

He was speaking to the members of the NWFP Assembly after getting the vote of confidence at the assembly hall on Tuesday.

A huge majority of the members reposed its confidence in the leadership of Mr Durrani and assured him of its full support and cooperation for the rights of of the people and for the promotion of democratic culture in the province.

The Chief Minister thanked all members of the House for reposing confidence in him.

“I don’t find words to express my gratitude for the confidence you have put in me,” he added.

Mr Durrani assured the House that he would never compromise on principles for the sake of power, which was not loyal to anyone.

“We are democrats. We will work for the restoration of democracy in its true spirit. I will respect the mandate of the people which they have given to all MPAs leadership of MPAs. All MPAs will be treated equally,” he pledged.

The people of province, he said, wanted employment, education and health facilities, all basic needs, and all these related to restoration of peace and maintenance of law and order in the province.

He held out an assurance to the House that no person, whosoever he might be, would be allowed to break the law and disturb peace of the province.

Mr Durrani said he believed in the integrity, solidarity and prosperity of Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh, but the NWFP was more dear to him.

“We will not allow anybody to usurp our rights,” he declared.

He said the federal government would be persuaded to pay the outstanding amount of net profit of electricity to the province. It was the only financial source of the province, which could not be put on the mercy of others, he declared.

Mr Durrani thanked Wapda chairman for cooperating with him on this issue. He expressed the hope that federal minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and MMA central leaders would help his government on this issue.

He said he would also apprise the president and prime minister of the net profit issue.

“I will convince Wapda top brass to enhance the amount which had been fixed 10 years ago,” he hoped.

Earlier, Speaker Bakht Jahan Khan sought the opinion of MPAs on the vote of confidence and none of them opposed Mr Durrani’s candidature.

Leaders of the opposition the House, Abdul Akbar Khan of PPP, Mureed Kazim of PPP (Sherpao), Mushtaq Ghani of PML-Q, Anwar Kamal Marwat of the PML-N, Shahzada Gistasip of Independent Group, Dr Salim Khan of Swabi Qaumi Mohaz, Mian Nisar of Tehreek-i-Insaf and women members Nasreen Khattak, Rifat Akbar Swati, Salma Babar and Rifat Orakzai congratulated the Chief Minister for winning the confidence of the members of the House.

Qalandar Khan Lohdi, who had contested against Mr Durrani for the post of chief minister, asked the chief minister to act for the betterment of the people as they were not ready to hear tall claims.

Ministers Sirajul Haq and Sardar Idrees thanked the opposition for putting confidence in the leadership of Mr Durrani.