No compromise on NWFP development: Siraj

NWFP Senior Minister Siraj-ul-Haq has said the MMA government has made tremendous headway in its mission of enforcement of Shariah and development of the province that has gained wide popularity among the masses, while provincial government's steps and policies on financial discipline and good governance were also acknowledged at international fora.
Addressing public meetings on Sunday at Samarbagh, Mayor, and Jandool in Dir Lower after inauguration of local Union Council, a water supply scheme, up-gradation of the Girls High School, and the construction of Boys Higher Secondary School, he regretted that centre was showing step motherly attitude towards NWFP by ignoring its developmental requirements.
He said though special grants and developmental packages were announced for other provinces, even genuine and constitutional right of hydle net profit was being denied to the Frontier province.
Similarly, he said that announcements and promises of President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for NWFP and Peshawar were not materialised, but on the other hand, the malicious propaganda was launched against the MMA government through central official media, while Federal Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed went to the extent of asserting about the NWFP government failure.
The provincial senior minister said the centre was exploiting NWFP through the ploy of heavy debts as the bulk of mark-up was manifold increased against the net amount, while no concession was granted to the Frontier province in payment of these heavy debts, but on the other hand, the Frontier province's due rights, including hydle net profit were being ignored.
He said the centre was looking for excuses to punish the NWFP government for demanding such due rights of the province, and he made it clear that the MMA government would strive for development of the province under its principled stand, and would not accept any compromise in this respect.
The public meeting was also addressed by District Nazim Ihsanul Haq, Tehsil Nazim Samarbagh Qazi Hussain Ahmad; Union Nazims, Abdur Rehman, Mumtaz Wali; MMA leaders, Izazul Mulk Ifkari, Rafiullah Jan, and Hassan Ali Shah, who highlighted achievements of the MMA government for Islamisation and development of the Frontier province.
Earlier, a local stalwart of ANP and prominent philanthropist Sobaidar Major Muhammad Zaman (Retd) along with his hundreds of supporters announced joining Jamaat-i-Islami in a public meeting at Khazana in Lower Dir.
The new-comers eulogised steps of the MMA government for enforcement of Shariah and development of the province, and assured their full support to the central and provincial MMA leadership by reposing full confidence in it.