CM orders inquiry into factories in mining areas

LAHORE

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif chaired a meeting on Saturday to review performance of Minerals Department besides measures for exploration of natural resources, promotion of industrial activities and reorganisation of Punjab Minerals Development Corporation. 

The meeting decided to constitute an autonomous authority for ensuring transparency in the process of leasing of mines. 

The chief minister ordered inquiry into expansion of factories against the rules in mining areas in the past and directed the officers concerned to set up a high-powered committee for this purpose. He said that it was lamentable that the factories continued to expand in violation of rules and regulations while no action was taken.  

He said that Minerals Department was being reorganised on modern lines as it was the need of the hour to benefit from the natural wealth. 

He directed that process of restructuring of Punjab Minerals Development Corporation should be completed at the earliest and a comprehensive survey of mining areas of the province be conducted for accelerating industrial activities. He said that those areas should be identified in the survey which had an investment- friendly environment. He said that best companies of the world should be contacted for the survey. He said that results should be given by setting up Punjab Minerals Development Corporation on modern lines.

Provincial Ministers Rana Sanaullah Khan, Ch Sher Ali and Ch Muhammad Shafiq, chief secretary, additional chief secretary and environment secretary were also present.

British HC: British High Commissioner to Pakistan Thomas Drew Saturday met Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz

Sharif and discussed with him the matters of mutual interest, promotion of bilateral relations and the situation in Indian-held Kashmir.

According to a handout, speaking on the occasion, the British high commissioner (HC) said that Punjab was making rapid progress under the leadership of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif who had taken effective measures for public welfare and development of social sectors. He said that education, health and other sectors were improving. He said that British Prime Minister Theresa May had also lauded the speedy progress made by the Punjab province.

The British high commissioner said that Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif was the first foreign leader who had telephoned Teresa May on her nomination as prime minister and expressed good wishes for her. He said that British Prime Minister Theresa May was expected to visit Pakistan next year. He said that like other countries, Britain also wanted to ease tension between Pakistan and India, and Britain was concerned over the present situation. He said that Britain was against violation of human rights anywhere in the world and Pakistan’s political leadership was showing a responsible attitude in the current situation. 

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the cooperation of Britain in development of education, health and other sectors in Punjab was commendable and the relations between the two countries were strengthening with the passage of time. He said that Skills Development Programme was successfully running in Punjab with the cooperation of British Department for International Development (DFID). 

Shahbaz Sharif stressed the need for promotion of economic relations between Pakistan and Britain and said that exchange of trade delegations was of vital importance for this purpose. He said that Britain should play its role in solution to Kashmir issue in the light of UN resolutions and aspirations of Kashmiri people. He said that Pakistan was a peaceful country and wanted durable peace in the region. 

Provincial representative of DFID Ben French and new representative of DFID Ms Ruth Graham were also present.