Fear of uplift behind Zardari-Niazi hook-up: CM

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday said the Zardari-Niazi hook-up was a result of the fear of development process in Punjab. “One has made Karachi, which was once the city of lights, a filth depot, while the other has ruined the historic city of Peshawar, he added. Talking to Ghulam Bibi Bharwana MNA and other lawmakers, the chief Minister said the people wanted development, not destruction. “The fear of the PML-N development agenda has forced the promoters of the politics of falsehood to unite. Niazi [Imran Khan] has disappointed the youth by colluding with the biggest malady [Asif Ali Zardari] of the country, he said.

Bharwana and others congratulated the chief minister for becoming the unopposed PML-N president and hoped that the party would continue following the mission of public service vigorously under his leadership

Separately, Shahbaz expressed deep sorrow on the death of world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking.

In his condolence message, he lauded the services of Hawking and said he was the greatest scientist of his age. “Legends like him are not born often. His scientific discoveries are praiseworthy and services in the field of physics will be remembered forever,” noted the chief minister.

On the other hand, Shahbaz said protecting the consumers’ rights was a basic responsibility of the government.

In his message on World Consumer Rights Day, he said the Punjab government was taking all possible steps to protect their rights, adding that there was also a need that the consumers should know their rights and responsibilities.

The chief minister congratulated two young brothers from Lahore – Tayyab and Tahir – for taking first position in Online Data Science Project of Harvard University, USA.

Tayyab, 19, and Tahir, 20, are the residents of Allama Iqbal Town and Microsoft Company paid their fee for being youngest among the 435 competitors.

In another message, the chief minister expressed a deep sense of grief over the sad demise of the father of Ahsan Bhaun, former vice-president of Pakistan Bar Council.