PESHAWAR, Jan 31: Water and Power Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao on Friday said that the LFO was part of the Constitution and those who wanted to rescind it can do so by showing a two-thirds majority in parliament.

Speaking at ‘Meet the Press’ programme at the Peshawar Press Club, the minister advised the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal to muster the two-thirds majority in parliament to do away with the LFO.

He emphasized the need for national understanding to save the nation from bitter experiences which it had had in the past. Parliament, he said, was the supreme forum which can make changes to the Constitution.

Disagreeing with the suggestion that the Talibanization of the NWFP was being done which might create a row between the Centre and province, he said it was pre-mature to assume that the NWFP was being turned into a religious laboratory by the MMA.

Commenting on the issue of the net hydel profit, the minister denied that Wapda would have to pay outstanding dues worth Rs300 million to the NWFP. He pointed out that the net hydel profit was not a part of the National Finance Commission award.

The minister said all the consumers, including government departments, were bound to pay their bills within 90 days, but they were not doing it. He said some of the departments owed as much as Rs31 billion to Wapda. “We can certainly cut their power supply, but we are persuading them to pay the dues.”

He said when Wapda would receive the amount, it would, in turn, be able to pay to the provinces their dues.

Mr Sherpao said Wapda collected Rs19 billion a year for the Central Board of Revenue in the form of GST and withholding tax.

BHASHA DAM: Talking to newsmen on Thursday, Mr Sherpao said work on the Bhasha dam would start soon and the project would be completed in three years, our Mansehra correspondent adds.