PESHAWAR: PML-N provincial president Amir Muqam on Monday rejected the claims of rival parties that the federal government has neglected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Area in the federal budget 2017-18, and insisted that the centre`s allocated record 25percent(around Rs250 billion) of the total development budget for schemes in the two regions.

Addressing a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club, Mr Muqam, who is also the adviser to the prime minister, said whenthe PML-N formed government in the centre, the country used to generate 10,800 megawatts electricity against the demand of 16,000 megawatts.

He said the federal government took the power production to 19,244 megawatts by executing new schemes but the demand for electricity, too, went up to 27,000 megawatts.

`The Nawaz Sharif government has to its credit the generation of 9,000 megawatts more electricity during the last few years,` he said. The PML-N leader claimed the national grid would get up to 30,000 megawatts electricity until 2018.

He said power generation was a time-consuming process, which also needed huge funds.

`Though the energy crisis can`t end overnight, the federal government is fully committed to resolving it,` he said.

Mr Muqam said the govern-ment realised that the people were upset by loadshedding, especially in the fasting month of Ramazan, but all that was happening `under compulsion` He said loadshedding was a national issue.

The PML-N leader said the Dasu project would generate 4,500-megawatt electricity and that the local community would get power supply on priority basis in addition to royalty from the federal government.

He said scores of power projects were in final stages of execution and that they would help end energy crisis.

Mr Muqam also claimed that the federal government had planned the construction of billions of rupees worth of network ofroadsin the country.

He said Rs112 billion had been allocated for the communication sector in Khyber Pal(htunkhwa with a focus on Malakand divi-sion, Hazara and northern areas.

The PML-N leader said Lowari tunnel would be inaugurated very soon.

He said his government had allocated Rs21 billion additional funds for the tunnel project, which ironically got nothing in the budget from the previous government.

Mr Muqam said the arteries to be constructed under the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor initiative in KP included ChitralShandur Road, ChakdaraChitral Road, and BeshamKhwa z akhelaCha k d a r a Expressway.

He also said the annual funds for Fata had been increased from Rs21 billion to Rs27 billion, while the federal government was determined to fulfil its commitment made to the local residents in connection with the reforms.

The PML-N leader said the KPgovernment had failed to completely use own annual development programme funds during thelastfouryearsandthatitwas unable to execute a single mega developmental project in the province.

He said the ruling PTI`s leaders just wasted the precious time of the people in leveling allegations and using abusive language against political rivals.

Mr Muqam said the prime minister had presented himself and his children for accountability but no one would be able to prove anything illegal against them. `All allegations against them (PM and family) are baseless,` he claimed.

About the leak of a photograph of PM`s son Hussain Nawaz during appearance before the joint investigation team probing Panama Leaks case, he said it was duty of the JIT to find the culpable people.