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Thursday March 28, 2024

Lawyers’ killers won’t escape punishment: CM

Says power and accountability interlinked; announces Rs50m in grant for SCBA

By our correspondents
May 26, 2015
LAHORE
CHIEF Minister Shahbaz Sharif has announced a grant of Rs50 million for Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan.
A delegation of Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan led by its President Fazal Haq Abbasi called on Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, here, Monday.
The chief minister and the delegation strongly condemned the tragic incident in Daska and expressed grief over the death of President of Daska Bar Association and a lawyer.
Talking to the delegation, the chief minister said he was deeply grieved at the tragic incident in Daska, had taken immediate notice and ordered an impartial inquiry into the matter while the SHO concerned had been arrested.
He said there was no justification for direct firing on lawyers and the elements involved would not be able to escape punishment under the law and all demands of justice would be fulfilled. He said the lawyer community was playing a key role in the provision of prompt and inexpensive justice to the citizens and had rendered unprecedented sacrifices for the restoration of independent judiciary and strengthening of democracy in the country.
He said there was a need of improvement in police stations and katchery culture, as it was directly linked with the masses. He said the Punjab government had taken solid measures for good governance and transparent utilisation of resources in the province. He said power and accountability were linked together. He said the lawyer community had to play an active role for provision of prompt justice to the citizens by maintaining a balance between bar and bench.
The chief minister announced Rs50 million in grant for Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan. He directed Secretary Health to evolve a system in consultation with lawyers for the provision of medical facilities to the lawyer community in hospitals.
President Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan Fazal Haq Abbasi while speaking on the occasion said the chief minister was working with commitment and dedication for the welfare of the people.
He said the personal efforts of chief minister for implementation of Pakistan-China economic corridor were commendable.
Those who called on the chief minister included Secretary Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan Ch Muhammad Maqsood Ahmed, Vice-President Punjab Shah Abbas Mian, Additional Secretary Sanaullah Zahid, Finance Secretary Sheharyar Iqbal, Members Executive Punjab Badar Munir Malik, Fouzia Sultana Sheikh, Abdul Hassan Arif Agha, Babar Bilal, Members Executive Sindh Qazi Abdul Hameed Siddiqui, Muhammad Khalil Dogar, Anayatullah Morio and other office-bearers.
Minerals: Shahbaz Sharif presided over a meeting, here Monday, which decided to modernise Minerals Department.
He approved institutional reforms in Minerals Department and directed that a steering committee be set up for presenting recommendations for reorganisation, capacity-building and reforms in Minerals Department.
Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said Minerals Department could play a very important role in strengthening the economy of the province.
He directed that planning should be made to run the department professionally on corporate model. He directed that resource mapping of the mineral reserves in Punjab be conducted in accordance with international standard.
He said Minerals Department would have to give up obsolete system and work in an active manner. He directed that a scientific system of leasing of mines should be adopted. He said a comprehensive mechanism should be evolved for the monitoring of licencing system of mines and improvement should be made in rules and regulations regarding leasing of mines.
The chief minister said there was a vast scope of local and foreign investment in minerals sector in Punjab and it was the basic responsibility of the department to provide maximum facilities to the investors. He said the department would have to play an active role for providing maximum facilities to investors. He said that safety measures for the workers associated with mining sector were of vital importance.
Shahbaz Sharif directed that training of experts recruited in mining sector should be arranged abroad. He said the model of Punjab Mineral Company be replicated in other institutions of the department and he would personally monitor the measures taken for the improvement of Minerals Department and review progress in this regard on monthly basis. He expressed his displeasure to Secretary Minerals for non-implementation of some decisions and said that serious efforts had not been made for human resource development and capacity-building of the department. He ordered immediate establishment of Coal Pricing Board.