He was presiding over a meeting held in connection with beautification of Lahore city at his camp office at Minar-e-Pakistan on Friday.

Shahbaz said citizens of Lahore were being provided with a natural environment through horticulture whereas the PHA was vigorously striving to make various roads and development projects more beautiful through landscaping. He said flyovers and overhead bridges had been made attractive through flowers and plants.

The CM said that during monsoon season as many as 3,000 fruit saplings would be planted on the Canal Road which would not only add beauty to the atmosphere but would also provide food to birds. He said benches had also been placed at various locations on the Canal Road for the convenience of the public. He said that along the greenbelt on Multan Road, a gymnasium would also be set up for the youth.

He said the government had chalked out a plan to construct five ladies parks where women would be provided with various facilities. He announced that a state-of-the-art sports complex would be constructed at Doongi Ground, Samanabad.

Internship: Shahbaz Sharif has said that an internship programme is being launched for the youth under which opportunities will be provided to 50,000 youth in various institutions.

He said that the programme of provision of training to the youth in various skills in south Punjab with the collaboration of Department for International Development (DFID), UK, was going on successfully.

He lauded the cooperation of the Department for International Development (DFID), UK, and World Bank regarding poverty alleviation, education, technical education and health sectors. Shahbaz stated this during a meeting with the head of the DFID, UK, George Turkington, and World Bank country director Rachid Benmassoud here on Friday.

He said the provincial government had paid special attention to the promotion of economic and trade activities in the province. He said concrete measures had been taken for creating new job opportunities and elimination of poverty. He said self-employment scheme had been started for the youth under which interest-free loans were being given to them.

The chief minister said huge funds were being spent on improving the economic condition of the neglected segments of the society and welfare of the people. He said the doors of quality education had been opened for the male and female children of the poor families through the Punjab Educational Endowment Fund and Daanish Schools.

Punjab Minister for Education Ahmad Ali Aulakh, MNA Ahsan Iqbal, chairmn P&D, chairman Information Technology Board and secretaries of various departments were also present.