Siraj ul Haq added former Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali had promised to give NWFP Rs 8 billions as its share in the electricity royalty but the province had so far not received the amount. "If the central government failed to release the amount then the provincial government will be faced with difficult position to complete its developmental projects," he said.
Siraj ul Haq, who also holds the portfolio of Finance, further asked federal government to declare NWFP as calamity hit area and provide sufficient relief assistance like that of Balochistan. He said the provincial government had announced Rs 6 billion for the relief activities out of which Rs 3 billion had been spent so far. He thanked the Sindh government for promising relief assistance and hoped the "elder brother" Punjab would also contribute to the relief activities.
Concerned over the gas load shedding in the province, Siraj ul Haq asked federal government to give gas supply from Gor Guri (District Karak) and Shakardara (Kohat) gas fields to the Frontier Province, and after then the excessive gas should be supplied to other parts of the country.
He said the parliamentary jirga of the NWFP that held its meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday had also expressed concern over 45 days long gas load shedding in the province when the supply of gas was cut off for only three days in the rest of the country. He called for compensation to the NWFP industrialists for incurring losses due to gas load shedding in the province.
Siraj ul Haq said the representatives of all political parties participated in the parliamentary jirga of NWFP and despite their political differences they decided to start a joint struggle for the rights of the province.
The provincial senior minister said soon a meeting of the senators and MNAs from the Frontier province would be convened to chalk out future strategy for getting the provincial rights.
"All the political parties of the NWFP have decided to set aside their political differences and initiate joint efforts for the just rights of the province," he said. He said the meeting of the NWFP parliamentary jirga was a positive political step and was an example for the centre and other provinces to follow.