Punjab CM terms Imran vital for national politics

LAHORE: A meeting of MNAs and MPAs of the Faisalabad Division, held under the chair of Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, pondered over parliamentarians’ proposals for carving out new tehsils while the parliamentarians appreciated the welfare-oriented vision of the chief minister.

Addressing the gathering, the CM termed Imran Khan indispensable for national politics and added that they are standing with him with full force. Exemplary works have been done to provide relief to the common man in a short period, he added. He directed steps to give ownership rights to slum-dwellers and ordered Wasa Faisalabad to improve its performance and redress public grievances without delay. The sanitation situation in Faisalabad and other cities should be improved, he stressed and added that the availability of funds would be ensured to complete ongoing schemes of the Faisalabad division.

The CM said that Haseeb Shaheed Hospital, General Hospital Samanabad and other health schemes would be completed soon along with the completion of repair and maintenance of link roads in the division. The shortage of doctors in the Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology and Children’s Hospital will also be filled, he added.

Priority will be given to water filtration plant projects and no plan to establish a girls’ college will be rejected, he said and directed to give certificates of appreciation to RPO, CPO and the investigation team for the speedy recovery of the kidnapped girl.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan, Senior Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, parliamentarians and PTI officials, including Riaz Fatiana, Ghulam Mohammad Lali, Raza Nasrullah, Khurram Shehzad, Faizullah Kamuka, Mehboob Sultan, Ameer Sultan, Ghulam Bibi Bharwana, Farrukh Habib, Taimur Lali, Salim Bibi, Ali Afzal Sahi, Ali Akhtar, Ch Zaheeruddin, Adil Parvez, Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmad, Rana Umar Farooq, Khayal Ahmad Kastro, Shakil Shahid, Waris Aziz, Latif Nazar, Saeed Ahmad Saeedi, Ashfa Riaz Fatiana, Sonia Ali Raza, Taimur Bhatti, Azam Chela, Mehr Nawaz Bharwana, Ghazanfar Abbas Shah, Asif Kathia and Shahbaz Khan attended the meeting. Administrative secretaries, commissioner, deputy commissioners, RPOs and others were also present.

The chief minister said that the government was striving to provide relief and facilities to the people to bring ease in their lives.

He was talking to the PTI delegation which called on him at his office. The delegation included Sharjeel Younis, Malik Mahboob Elahi, Haji Malik Muhammad Rafiq, Ch. Zulfikar and Zain Ejaz who appreciated the welfare-oriented steps of Pervaiz Elahi.

The CM termed Punjab Ehsaas Ration Discount Programme a flagship initiative of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and noted that 40 percent cheaper items are provided to eight million deserving families. The beneficiaries can purchase pulses, ghee, oil and flour from registered grocery stores at 40 percent lower rates, along with this, a 10 percent commission is also given to the owners of registered grocery stores, he added. This programme is a giant leap towards poverty alleviation and a welfare State, he maintained and mentioned that affectees of three flood-hit districts were registered in this programme. Initially, the Punjab government allocated Rs100 billion for this programme, he said and concluded that providing relief to the poor is the vision of Imran Khan, which the provincial government has implemented.

Provincial Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja was also present.

Pervaiz Elahi sought a report from IG police about an incident of burning a woman alive in Kot Lakhpat. The CM ordered that justice should be ensured for the bereaved family and added that the accused would be severely punished under the law. He also extended sympathies to the bereaved family.