PM prods MNAs over quorum issue
By Our Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD—Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has urged the members of the National Assembly to take an active part in the proceedings of the Parliament. The Prime Minister was talking to the Chief Whip of PML Parliamentary Party, Sardar Nasurllah Khan Dareshak, who called on him at the Prime Minister House on Saturday. He was accompanied by Sardar Shaukat Mazari, Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly. Matters related to the current situation, local bodies elections and organizational matters of the party, matters pertaining to the current session of the national assembly were discussed. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction over the smooth and peaceful conduct of local bodies’ elections and observed that the people have voted for moderate and pro-development forces. The Prime Minister said that the Government would continue to make efforts for evenly spreading the fruits of development among all segments of the people. Meanwhile the Chief Minister NWFP, Muhammad Akram Khan Durrani also called on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz at the Prime Minister’s House and discussed with him matters relating to the LB elections, current situation and progress of federal projects in the province.
The Prime Minister said that the federal projects like construction of Mirani Dam, Indus Highway, Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway and Peshawar-Torkham Road will further improve the infrastructure of the province and create linkages, which would help accelerate the pace of economic development, create job opportunities and improve the quality of life of the people. The Prime Minister said that Government wants a congenial political environment in NWFP where all political parties including the PML will cooperate for promoting and strengthening democracy.
APP adds: A number of Parliamentarians called on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz at Prime Minister House on Friday and discussed with him the current political situation and results of the local bodies’ elections as well as the upcoming general elections scheduled to be held in 2007. The Prime Minister said that as a result of government’s decision to allow import of essential food items, prices of wheat, sugar, meal and onions etc. have stabilized and that the government will keep a strict vigilance to keep prices under check to provide relief to the common man. The Prime Minister talking to the representatives said that the masses have spoken and given their mandate to the pro-development and moderate forces. These elections, he said would augur well for empowering the people through local participation.
On the social sector, the Prime Minister said the government has taken several initiatives like launching a Programme totaling Rs. 2.5 billion for containing Hepatitis and reinvigorating Basic health Units to provide primary, secondary and tertiary health care to the people. The government, he said is also focusing on improving education by revising education syllabus, increasing adult literacy and focusing on higher education. The Prime Minister said that the government has allocated record funds for improving infrastructure like water, roads, electricity both to meet the increasing requirements of growing economy as well as improve the quality of life of the people. Those who called on the Prime Minister include: Sardar Tufail Ahmad Khan, MNA, Sardar Ali Nawaz Khan Mahar, Minister of State for Industries, Sardar Ali Gohar Khan Mahar, Muhammad Wasi Zafar, Minister for Law and Justice, Mushtaq Ali Cheema, Minister for Textile, Rajab Ali Baloch, MNA, Ghulam Rasool Shai, MNA, Rashid Akbar Khan, MNA, Saeed Akbar Khan, Minister Punjab Government, Ubaid Ullah Khan, Shahnaz Sheikh, Minister of State for Health, Makhdoom Ahmad Alam Anwar, MNA, Bushra Anwar Sipra, MNA, Firdoos Ashiq Awan, MNA, Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla, MNA, Sardar Bahadur Ahmad Khan, MNA, Muhammad Akhtar Khan Kanju, MNA and Daniyal Aziz, Chairman National Reconstruction Bureau.