Education vital to handle population growth: minister

OKARA: Punjab Population Welfare Minister Col (retd) Sardar Hashim Dogar Wednesday said population could be controlled only through education.

Addressing a symposium arranged by the District Population Welfare Department (DPWD), the minister said healthy family and children were the basis of a healthy nation. He said unchecked increase in population was a critical situation for the country. The minister said the Punjab government was initiating a monthly stipend from the Benazir Income Support Program for poor mothers who go out for labour and cannot feed their children. He said none out of 3,700 contract employees would be fired. He said the Punjab government was planning a law prohibiting marriage of children below 18 years of age. The minister urged religious scholars to play their role for the betterment of society. Former Punjab minister Ashraf Sohna of the PTI, Qari Saeed Usmani, Qazi Muhammad Aslam Okaravi, Assistant Director General DQWD Rai Sameeukllah and District Officer DPWD Naila Mehboob also spoke.

ENCROACHMENTS REMOVED: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Maryam Khan Wednesday ordered the Municipal Committee administration to remove encroachments. Assistant Commissioner Umar Maqbool and Chief Officer MC Fida Iftikhar Mir led anti-encroachment operation and removed encroached carts and stall from Sadar Bazar, Hospital Bazaar, Haq Bazaar, Maronda Bazaar and Rail Bazaar. The AC asked shopkeepers to remove encroachments or heavy machinery would break and remove encroachments.

COUPLE DEPRIVED OF VALUABLES: A newly married couple was deprived of jewelry and cash on Wednesday. Muhammad Ashraf and his wife were sleeping at the house in mohallah Gurdayal Depalpur when thieves entered the house and stole away golden and silver jewelry and Rs 8,000. City Depalpur police have registered a case.