CM says better security arrangements for LG elections in Punjab
LAHORE
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif chaired a meeting of Provincial Cabinet on Thursday which gave approval to Punjab Animal Slaughter Control Amendment Bill 2015 and the draft law of Punjab Poultry Production Act 2013.
The meeting approved Punjab Private Education Commission Bill 2014, draft law of the Punjab Restriction of Employment of Children Act 2015 and Punjab Domestic Workers Policy 2015. The cabinet expressed satisfaction over the security arrangements made for maintaining law and order in all the three phases of local government elections as well as the steps taken under National Action Plan against terrorism. The Provincial Cabinet paid tributes to the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on foolproof security arrangements for local government elections and effective implementation of the plan.
Addressing the meeting of the Provincial Cabinet, the CM said better arrangements were made in Punjab compared to other provinces for ensuring a peaceful atmosphere in all three phases of local government elections. He said all necessary measures were taken for enabling people to exercise their right of franchise in a peaceful atmosphere. Shahbaz Sharif congratulated Provincial Committee on Law and Order, chief secretary, IGP, secretary home and law enforcement agencies for making excellent security arrangements for local government elections. He said due to comprehensive measures taken in the province in different phases of local government elections, people cast their vote in a free and fair atmosphere and they expressed their complete confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif once again.
He said the masses through the power of their vote proved that they want progress and prosperity of the country and not sit-ins and, therefore, they gave a befitting reply through their vote to the elements as wasted the precious time of the nation. He said the results of local government elections have authenticated the transparency of general elections of 2013.
Under Punjab Animal Slaughter Control Amendment Bill 2015, approved in the meeting of cabinet, the elements selling Haram or dead meat will be given four to eight years imprisonment and a fine of three lakh to five lakh rupees. Under the amendment, bill penalty for selling substandard or harmful meat has also been increased. The sale of substandard, harmful, Haram or dead meat will be a non-bailable offence.
The CM said the Punjab government has adopted a solid strategy for quality education in the province while splendid programmes have also been started for providing quality education to the poor but talented children. Under Punjab Private Education Commission Bill 2014, a 17-member commission will be formed to regulate private schools. Under the bill, private schools will be graded for regulating fee structure. Under the bill, private schools will be bound to provide free education to 10 per cent low income but talented boy and girl students. The commission will also play its role for controlling exploitation of teachers at private schools. The committees set up at district level will ensure implementation of the laws. It will compulsory for private schools to get themselves registered after 90 days of the establishment of the commission.
The CM said the Punjab government is determined to eliminate child labour from the province and forced labour from children will be curbed at any cost. He said laws with regard to child labour should be strictly implemented and the departments concerned should play an active role in this regard. Under the draft law of Restriction of Employment of Children Act 2015, industrial labour of all kinds from children below the age of 14 years will be banned. The chief secretary gave a briefing to the meeting regarding the functions arranged in connection with observing martyrs week on the occasion of first anniversary of the tragedy at Army Public School Peshawar. Secretary Home Informed the meeting about overall law & order in the province. The cabinet also expressed sorrow and grief over the death of father-in-law of Punjab Minister Malik Nadeem Kamran and offered Fateha for the departed soul.
MPs meet: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the PML-N government is making sincere efforts for ridding the people of energy crisis. He said that coal and gas based power plants are being set up in the province.
He said that work had been started on gas based power plants projects at Sheikhupura, Balloki and Jhang while work was continuing speedily on the project of coal power plants in Sahiwal. He said that a total of 1,320 megawatt electricity would be generated through Sahiwal Coal Power Project and thousands of megawatt electricity would be produced with the completion of energy projects till the end of 2017. He said that completion of energy projects would result in removing darkness from the country.
He said that the Punjab government was working on the projects of generation of electricity through hydel, coal, solar and other sources. He said that work was also continuing speedily on setting up of projects of 3,600 megawatt gas-based power stations. He said that energy crisis would be eliminated and the country would be made bright. He was talking to assembly members belonging to different districts who called on him, here Thursday. Those who met the chief minister included MNA Sultan Hinjra, Provincial Minister Haroon Sultan Bukhari and MPA Waris Khalu.
Condolence: Shahbaz Sharif has expressed deep grief over the sad demise of prominent actor Kamal Ahmed Rizvi. Expressing sympathies, the chief minister prayed that may Allah Almighty rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage and strength to the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss with fortitude. Shahbaz Sharif said that Kamal Ahmed Rizvi was a great actor and his artistic and literary services would be remembered forever.
CM reviews Saaf Pani Project: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif presided over a meeting, here Thursday which reviewed progress on Saaf Pani Project.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said that the project of supply of potable water was of vital importance. He said that through Saaf Pani Project, basic right of the people was being given and millions of people of rural areas would benefit from this project worth billions of rupees. He said that no compromise would be made on the standard of the project. He directed that transparency in the project should be ensured at any cost and it should be completed within the stipulated period. He warned that no delay would be tolerated in this regard.
The chief minister directed that a seminar should be held with regard to Saaf Pani Project. He said that the setting up of facilitation centres in rural areas for the supply of pure water would result in availability of job opportunities to local population. A detailed briefing was also given to the meeting on Saaf Pani Project.