The Nation - ISLAMABAD - Senators and MNAs belonging to Awami National Party led by Senator Haji Adeel met Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Friday and expressed their concern over the way they were kept out of loop while taking major policy decisions and also requested him for early release of the development funds and settlement of other related matters.
The Prime Minister said that the PPP was a truly federal party, which had broad-based support across the country and indeed was a great national asset. No other party on the political landscape of the country has such a wide-ranging support in the country, the Prime Minister said.On the question of allocation of development funds, the Prime Minister said that parity will be observed in this regard. He underscored the importance of completing the ongoing development schemes.He agreed with the participants of the meeting that the projects of Chashma Right Bank Canal. Lowari Tunnel in Chitral and Munda Dam in FATA were of immense importance and assured them that the federal government would extend the financial and technical assistance in view of their criticality for agriculture, overcoming energy problems and flood control and connectivity of Chitral with the rest of the country throughout the year.Raja Pervez Ashraf said that the establishment of University in Swat would be given urgent attention as its functioning would bring about revolution in the region in true sense because education was the best antidote of extremism and terrorism.
Before meeting Premier Raja Pervez Ashraf, Awami National Party, in its Parliamentary Party meeting held under the head of Haji Adeel, decided to take up the hydel profit issue with the Prime Minister and to secure early release of the development funds for the province.Sources further said that ANP leadership was annoyed with the government over a number of issues including keeping them out of loop while taking policy decisions on vital issues concerning the provinces and other important matters. During the ANP delegation's meeting with Prime Minister, the matter of ANP's opposition to Dual Nationality Bill was also discussed and ANP leaders said that being the senior coalition partner they should be taken on board by PPP leadership but they came to know about the government's move when the bill was placed before the Federal Cabinet meeting and that too for intimation only.
Haji Adeel made it clear to Prime Minister that such an attitude on part of the ruling PPP would not be acceptable to them and that was the reason they had opposed the bill to the embarrassment of the whole government. Sources in the party further said that they were standing with the government on principles and they could not sacrifice their manifesto and ideology for being part of the government and would oppose all those things which would come in clash with their party's manifesto and policy.
Meanwhile, according to the press release issued by the Prime Minister's House, Prime Minister highly appreciated the valuable and solid support extended by ANP, saying that the PPP leadership and he himself were proud of their steadfastness as at no stage did they even give the slightest impression of reluctance in this regard.
The Prime Minister made special mention of ANP's struggle against terrorism and extremism in the KPK, adding that the party had successfully combated the menace by stopping its spillover effect from hitting the rest of the country. Their resolve and determination against the evil is as strong as a rock despite their personal losses to their lives and properties, the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister thanked the Senators and MNAs for their congratulations to him on undertaking the successful visit to Afghanistan. He said that he would take ANP legislators along as part of official entourage during the future visits to the foreign countries especially to the neighboring countries.
The Prime Minister also acknowledged their sentiments over the winning of by-elections by the PPP candidate in Multan yesterday, adding that the PPP candidate defeated the joint opposition candidate who had the support of major opposition political parties.
The Prime Minister said that the PPP was a truly federal party, which had broad-based support across the country and indeed was a great national asset. No other party on the political landscape of the country has such a wide-ranging support in the country, the Prime Minister said.
On the question of allocation of development funds, the Prime Minister said that parity will be observed in this regard. He underscored the importance of completing the ongoing development schemes.
He agreed with the participants of the meeting that the projects of Chashma Right Bank Canal. Lowari Tunnel in Chitral and Munda Dam in FATA were of immense importance and assured them that the federal government would extend the financial and technical assistance in view of their criticality for agriculture, overcoming energy problems and flood control and connectivity of Chitral with the rest of the country throughout the year.
Raja Pervez Ashraf said that the establishment of University in Swat would be given urgent attention as its functioning would bring about revolution in the region in true sense because education was the best antidote of extremism and terrorism.
The Prime Minister said the federal government would complete the part of Motorway close to Peshawar, as it is the federal subject. The ANP leadership told the Prime Minister that the completion of this road would benefit the commuters of Peshawar by saving travel time with ease and comforts.
Earlier the ANP legislators congratulated the Prime Minister for winning the bye- elections of Multan and said that the electoral win was truly a morale boosting for the coalition partners in general and the PPP in particular.
The ANP delegation told the Prime Minister that Asfand Yar Wali, President of Awami National Party, could not attend the meeting because of his illness and the doctors had advised him complete bed rest for another two weeks.
The Prime Minister enquired after the health of Asfandar Yar Wali Khan and prayed for his early recovery.
They complimented the Prime Minister for the successful visit to Afghanistan. They said that it was the right approach to meet the Afghan political leadership across the divide and invite them to visit Pakistan to meet their Pakistani counterparts here. The enhanced interaction among the political leaders of both countries would be helpful in building bridges on sustainable basis, the Prime Minister observed.
They expressed their immense satisfaction over the Afghan President's announcement to grant multiple visas to the Pakistani businessmen who were facing problem on this account.
Haji Adeel made it clear to Prime Minister that such an attitude on part of the ruling PPP would not be acceptable to them and that was the reason they had opposed the bill to the embarrassment of the whole government. Sources in the party further said that they were standing with the government on principles and they could not sacrifice their manifesto and ideology for being part of the government and would oppose all those things which would come in clash with their party's manifesto and policy.
Meanwhile, according to the press release issued by the Prime Minister's House, Prime Minister highly appreciated the valuable and solid support extended by ANP, saying that the PPP leadership and he himself were proud of their steadfastness as at no stage did they even give the slightest impression of reluctance in this regard.
The Prime Minister made special mention of ANP's struggle against terrorism and extremism in the KPK, adding that the party had successfully combated the menace by stopping its spillover effect from hitting the rest of the country. Their resolve and determination against the evil is as strong as a rock despite their personal losses to their lives and properties, the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister thanked the Senators and MNAs for their congratulations to him on undertaking the successful visit to Afghanistan. He said that he would take ANP legislators along as part of official entourage during the future visits to the foreign countries especially to the neighboring countries.
The Prime Minister also acknowledged their sentiments over the winning of by-elections by the PPP candidate in Multan yesterday, adding that the PPP candidate defeated the joint opposition candidate who had the support of major opposition political parties.
The Prime Minister said that the PPP was a truly federal party, which had broad-based support across the country and indeed was a great national asset. No other party on the political landscape of the country has such a wide-ranging support in the country, the Prime Minister said.
On the question of allocation of development funds, the Prime Minister said that parity will be observed in this regard. He underscored the importance of completing the ongoing development schemes.
He agreed with the participants of the meeting that the projects of Chashma Right Bank Canal. Lowari Tunnel in Chitral and Munda Dam in FATA were of immense importance and assured them that the federal government would extend the financial and technical assistance in view of their criticality for agriculture, overcoming energy problems and flood control and connectivity of Chitral with the rest of the country throughout the year.
Raja Pervez Ashraf said that the establishment of University in Swat would be given urgent attention as its functioning would bring about revolution in the region in true sense because education was the best antidote of extremism and terrorism.
The Prime Minister said the federal government would complete the part of Motorway close to Peshawar, as it is the federal subject. The ANP leadership told the Prime Minister that the completion of this road would benefit the commuters of Peshawar by saving travel time with ease and comforts.
Earlier the ANP legislators congratulated the Prime Minister for winning the bye- elections of Multan and said that the electoral win was truly a morale boosting for the coalition partners in general and the PPP in particular.
The ANP delegation told the Prime Minister that Asfand Yar Wali, President of Awami National Party, could not attend the meeting because of his illness and the doctors had advised him complete bed rest for another two weeks.
The Prime Minister enquired after the health of Asfandar Yar Wali Khan and prayed for his early recovery.
They complimented the Prime Minister for the successful visit to Afghanistan. They said that it was the right approach to meet the Afghan political leadership across the divide and invite them to visit Pakistan to meet their Pakistani counterparts here. The enhanced interaction among the political leaders of both countries would be helpful in building bridges on sustainable basis, the Prime Minister observed.
They expressed their immense satisfaction over the Afghan President's announcement to grant multiple visas to the Pakistani businessmen who were facing problem on this account.