The address of the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz at the NWFP International Investment Conference has dejected both the provincial government and business community as he did not announce any special package for the industrial development of the province. The government and business community of the province was anxiously waiting for the special package announcement as more than 60 percent industrial units of the province have been declared sick, but the Prime Minister did not utter a single word on this subject.
The general public was also anxious and was expecting that Shaukat Aziz would speak on the important matter of the heavy outstanding amount in head of net profit against Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda).
The matter was also raised by the Senior Minister Sirajul Haq, who in his speech diverted the attention of the premier towards the Federal government debts on the province and compared it with the huge outstanding amount against the federal government.
However, according to some businessmen the address of the Prime Minister was more like a lecture having nothing special for the backward and poverty-hit NWFP.
When Business Recorder contacted the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President, he expressed unofficial concern over the address and said they presented their suggestions in the conference and it was the turn of the Prime Minister to announce a special relief, but due to unknown reasons he uttered not a single word.
He said in reply to the deliberations of the Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani and Sarhad Chamber, the Prime Minister should have reciprocated in the same gesture.
However, he said a delegation of the SCCI was scheduled to meet the Prime Minister in the next two or three days to discuss the problems of the industries of the province with him.
Another leading businessman, Ghulam Sarwar Khan Mohmand said the President and Prime Minister announced packages for districts on their visits, but surprisingly no such announcement was made during the conference.
He said even the NWFP Chief Minister did not demand of any such package. Although, he should have to at least make a demand for help of federal government in improving industrial infrastructure of the province.
"The Prime Minister has always been keen for the promotion of tourism but still no announcement for development of infrastructure, particularly roads was there in his speech," Mohmand complained.
Since three years, the President and Prime Minister had repeatedly talked about Torkham-Peshawar and Torkham-Jalalabad Road construction, but the claims were never materialised, he added.
Mohmand said that Shaukat Aziz should have taken bold step over the matter as the not only the goods of NWFP traders but the goods from Sindh and Punjab would also be transported through that route.
"Despite of political differences between the provincial and federal governments, they should at least keep the country's interests supreme," he concluded.
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