LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has said backward areas will be brought at par with the developed cities of the province.
The love and affection shown by the people of Zafarwal has reminded me of my ancestral area and it appears that I am present in Taunsa Sharif. Both Zafarwal and Taunsa Sharif are peripheral tehsils and the location of Zafarwal is geographically important but it was kept deprived of development like Taunsa Sharif, the CMs aid.
Addressing a public gathering at Zafarwal on Thursday, the CM said that he has been saddened over the dilapidated roads and there is no doubt that this area has been deprived of its share in the journey of development. Full attention was paid to some areas in the past and those localities progressed but the majority of the areas were remained deprived. According to a survey, one lakh rupees amount was spent per head in some cities and 3400 rupees were spent in the areas like Taunsa and Zafarwal which is an injustice because discrimination promotes unrest in the society. The former rulers raised hollow slogans of composite development and created a societal divide through their unjust approach. On the contrary, our government has promoted composite development and we will not let any injustice to happen with any area, he added. He said that backward areas are given particular attention and more funds are allocated for them. I am monitoring the situation by visiting different areas and the deprivations of Zafarwal will be removed. Attention was paid to brick-and-mortar but public welfare was totally ignored in the past and due to the inconsistent approach, many buildings are looking like a typical haunted house. Similarly, hospitals were made sans the required resources to run them. We have laid the foundation of the durable development and new hospitals are being built to be run efficiently. Hundred seats will be increased in medical colleges. Farmers will be given agri-credit cards. Wheat procurement has been started under my supervision, he added.
The CM said that draft of new local bodies system has been approved by the Punjab Assembly and this bill will introduce a fundamental change in the local bodies system because the public problems will be solved at the grassroots. We are abolishing district councils and union councils and 22000 Panchayat councils will be constituted in Punjab. Metropolitan corporations will be formed in every division. People will be empowered and local bodies’ representatives will be answerable. There were numerous faults in the previous local bodies system which have been removed and a system of check and balance has been introduced. Usman Buzdar said the condition of local roads is very pathetic and added that all roads will be repaired. He announced a grant of Rs 20 crore for the repair of Zafarwal-Narowal Road along with the establishment of a new park in Zafarwal tehsil. The repair of Zafarwal-Shakargarh Road and launch of BSC (Hons) classes in Government Degree College was also announced by the Chief Minister.
The CM announced funds for the completion of THQ hospital Zafarwal along with the up-gradation of rescue 1122. He announced a grant of five lakh rupees for Zafarwal Bar and said that a piece of land will be given for press club building. Auqaf Minister Saeed-ul-Hassan Shah welcomed the Chief Minister in his address and said that problems of Zafarwal will be solved under his leadership. PTI leaders Naimat Ali Javed, Dr. Tahir Ali Javed, Sajjad Hussain, Javed, Nadeem Nisar, Khizer Virk, Arif Manhais and others were present.
