ISLAMABAD/HARIPUR: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday directed the chief secretaries to pay special attention to the eradication of Patwari and corruption culture and introduction of digitization in land transfer and other issues.
The prime minister said strict action should be taken against those who cause corruption or unnecessary problems to people. In view of the unplanned growing population in Karachi, the prime minister directed that special attention be paid to formulate the master plan of the mega city in the shortest possible time.
This he observed while chairing the weekly meeting of the National Coordination Committee for Housing, Construction and Development here. The meeting was attended by Information Minister Senator Shibli Faraz, Special Assistants Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, Dr Shahbaz Gill, Chairman New Pakistan Housing Authority Lt Gen (R) Anwar Ali Haider, Governor SBP Dr Reza Baqir, secretaries and prominent businessmen associated with the construction sector. The provincial chief secretaries attended the meeting through video link.
A briefing was given to the prime minister on the progress made so far regarding the review of master plans of various cities in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and their completion. The Sindh chief secretary said the master plans of 17 cities in Sindh are being reviewed. He said master plans for three cities have been prepared. He said plans for six cities will be finalised by December while the master plans for the remaining eight cities will be completed in June 2021. The prime minister was informed that work on the Karachi Master Plan 2047 would begin in December.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary briefed the meeting on the progress and timelines for rescheduling the master plans for Peshawar, Mardan and other cities. He said the master plans of cities of integrated areas along with other cities are also being prepared.
The Punjab chief secretary gave a detailed briefing regarding the online portal to be introduced for the convenience of investors and businessmen associated with the construction sector. He said the purpose of this portal is to simplify the approval system, minimise human interference and ensure timely approvals. The meeting was informed that online portals have been set up in the federal capital, KP and Sindh.
Expressing satisfaction over the efforts made to facilitate the system for those involved in the construction sector, the prime minister directed that an online system be introduced in all the provinces, which would be easy to use and provide all possible facilities to consumers. He said that in order to combat negative effects of environmental pollution and climate change, it is necessary to pay special attention to the protection and enhancement of green areas. In this regard, he directed that special attention be paid to urban forestry.
Addressing the business leaders, the prime minister said the government is committed to addressing every issue facing the business community on a priority basis. He said suggestions of people associated with the construction sector would be welcomed.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan approved establishment of Pak-Afghan border markets in Balochistan and KP as a pilot project, as he was told that six border markets would be established also in Pak-Iran border areas.
The premier gave the approval while chairing a high level meeting on the establishment of border markets in Pak-Afghan and Pak-Iran border areas. The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Advisers Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Abdul Razak Dawood, KP Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Special Assistant Lieutenant General (RR) Asim Saleem Bajwa and others, including senior civil and military officers.
Chairing a separate meeting, the prime minister said that mineral resources of Balochistan should be utilised in a transparent and systematic manner and these resources should be utilised for the welfare of the people of the province.
The prime minister directed the cabinet members and the concerned ministries to utilise the mineral resources of Balochistan and provide all possible assistance to the Balochistan Exploration Company to be set up in this regard.
The meeting was given a detailed briefing on the establishment of proposed border markets to provide better business facilities to the local population living on the Pak-Afghan and Pak-Iran borders. The forum was told 12 border markets would be set up on the Pak-Afghan border and six on the Pak-Iran border.
Prime Minister approved the establishment of two border markets in Balochistan and one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a pilot project, which will be completed and activated by February. A decision was taken to take more effective measures to curb cross-border smuggling.
The prime minister said the establishment of these markets would provide better business and trade opportunities to the people living in the border areas, especially the youth, after the fencing (installation of fences) at the borders, and added that significant assistance will be provided in regulating traffic and trade and preventing smuggling.
Meanwhile, Imran Khan said the government was mulling introducing legislation for allowing the government to spend the money recovered from the corrupt on education as the future of the country depended on a knowledge-based economy.
He expressed these views while addressing the participants of the inaugural ceremony of Pak-Austria Fachhochschule Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology at Mang in Haripur district. KP Governor Shah Farman, Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, federal and provincial ministers and eminent scientist Dr Attaur Rehman were also present on the occasion.
The prime minister acknowledged that the PTI govt could not spend much on the education as it was engaged in stabilising the economy in the first year after assuming power and the coronavirus combating efforts in the second year of the rule. “However, the government is mulling introducing legislation aimed at spending the entire money recovered through the Asset Recovery Unit from the corrupt in the country on education. Because the more we spend on education, the better will be the future of the youth,” he added.
Talking about the reasons behind the lack of progress in the field of education, he said the people of Pakistan should excel in the fields of science, technology, knowledge-based economy and education. The prime minister deplored that the country had failed to introduce local scientists and became a mere copying entity instead of making its own patents. He said it was the most opportune time to put the country on the path to real prosperity and development as envisioned by Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal.
“We are independent people and we are determined to do something ourselves,” said the PM, adding, “The mindset of slavery must be changed. The notion that only the West can develop is not wrong.”
“The government was going to enter the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor very soon by getting established special economic zones in the country and relocation of industry with the technical help of China,” he added.
The prime minister said for making advances in the fields of science and technology was imperative for the progress of the country.