ISLAMABAD, July 13: Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Tuesday asked the lawyers community to help strengthen the local government system in the country.

Addressing a convention of bar councils, he said that 'practical steps' were being taken to resolve people's problems through the local government system. The prime minister said he did not believe in hollow slogans and assured the gathering that development funds would be utilized in a transparent manner.

"I assure you that during my short tenure (in office), development funds will be allocated judiciously," he said, adding that promises were made in the past and development schemes were announced but those promises were never fulfilled.

Chaudhry Shujaat said he had assumed the office for a brief period and wanted to devise policies which the future prime minister could continue. "I will do whatever I can for the betterment of people till August 18 and I will not tolerate any delays or hurdles in this regard."

He lauded the role of lawyers in upholding democratic norms and said the government acknowledged the services the community had rendered to maintain the rule of law in the country. "Lawyers have always opposed anti-democratic steps in the country," he said.

The premier expressed his desire to take steps for the betterment of lawyers and the judiciary and asked the bar councils' representatives to give suggestions in this regard.

Over 1,800 lawyers from bar councils at the district and tehsil levels attended the convention organized by the Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment at the Convention Centre.

Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League Secretary-General Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said the party believed in the rule of law and the supremacy of parliament. He said the government wanted to get all the issues discussed in parliament.