NWFP Local Government and Rural Development Minister Sardar Muhammad Idrees has claimed that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) was one of the biggest as well as the strongest alliance in the history of Pakistan having unanimous stance on all national political issues. The alliance will further go ahead and all conspiracies being hatched against the alliance would be foiled, he added.
He was talking to the delegation of UK Political Wing, including Second Secretary Political Jim Voas, Mrs Elex Loly and Political Officer Humora Ashraf in his office here on Thursday.
The minister said that the MMA believed in strong democracy and democratic institutions in the country and that was why it was co-operating with everyone who endeavoured for the strong stable democracy. "The MMA negotiations with the government was also a step towards this direction," he said.
Sardar Idrees said that the MMA still had strong street power and if needed the alliance would certainly prove it. He added that there was no rift between district and provincial governments and both were enjoying friendly relations.
He said that the district governments budget had been increased up to 25 percent during the current financial year with a view to enable the district governments to complete their developmental schemes.
Sardar Idrees said that the MMA was not against district government system, adding that it actively wanted to strengthen the system. He, however, said that the system needed certain amendments so that the people could genuinely benefit from it.
The minister said that all other provinces have been consulted and their approval has been sought in this respect. He said the MMA was in favour of party-based elections as majority of the people elected during the last elections were also from political parties.
The government, he said, was running the affairs in NWFP effectively, which was also endorsed by the world bodies and countries, including US, Canada, Japan, Britain, World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, etc.
Approval of funds by the world bodies for the MMA government in NWFP was a proof of its affectivity.
He said the MMA government was trying to maintain financial discipline in the province and each penny of the exchequer could be spent on the welfare of the people.
The local council commission, he said, has completed inspection of 14 districts and reports in this respect were in final stages.
Inspection of other districts, he said, would also be carried out. Sardar Idrees said that inspections of districts have accelerated the pace of development work and has also reduced corruption.
Members of the delegation appreciated the policies of the MMA government and assured their full co-operation.