Durrani announces Ramazan flour subsidy

By Ghafar Ali

PESHAWAR: NWFP Chief Minister (CM) Akram Khan Durrani announced a Rs 80 reduction in price for every 80 kilogrammes of wheat flour and warned hoarders to keep groceries at normal rates during Ramazan.

Addressing a function organised in connection with the World Food Programme on Thursday, the chief minister said a special meeting with high government functionaries and district and town nazims would be held today (Friday) to map out strategy to keep food prices at normal rates. “The government will take strict action against those found violating the order,” he said.

Mr Durrani said the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) government in the NWFP would observe all international days aimed at promoting awareness of poverty. “But the MMA is not bound to observe those programmes that are opposed to our religion and culture. The MMA has informed the central government that the NWFP government and people will follow only those policies aimed at national defence and development,” Mr Durrani added. He said Muslims all over the world were subject to repression and cruelty and if such a state of affairs continued then no Muslim would be safe even in his home.

The chief minister said the western world had started a media war against Muslims and it was the responsibility of Muslim writers to present Islam as it is today. He regretted that the country’s electronic media was telecasting programmes, which had nothing to do with the local culture, but were aired to please the West.

He said Muslim leaders should hold meaningful talks with those countries accusing Muslims of terrorism because history proved that wars do not solve problems.

The chief minister said his government would try to resolve problems of poor Secretariat employees considering limited funds. He said the MMA government would launch a drive against obscenity and vulgarity soon and the ban on music in buses was imposed not only in the NWFP but in developed countries. He regretted that his government’s sincere efforts seen negatively. Calling the transporters’ strike unjustified, he said he issued the directives ten months ago and transporters were morally bound to remove cassette players and VCRs from vehicles.

Senior minister Sirajul Haq, Provincial Food Minister Fazal Rabbani and Food Secretary Mian Sahib Jan also spoke.

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