LG system to strengthen democracy, says governor

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar on Friday said that new LG system of Punjab represented the national aspirations of the country and it will strengthen both people and democracy.

Punjab Minister for Law Raja Basharat and Inspector General Punjab Police Capt (R) Arif Nawaz called on Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar at Governor’s House. Law and order, suicide attack outside Data Darbar and new Local Governments system in Punjab were discussed in the meeting.

The governor said that provision of basic facilities to people at their doorsteps, peaceful living environment and people’s empowerment were the government’s preferences. He said that under the visionary leadership of Imran Khan, the government had conclusively decided to strengthen institutions. It is because of the fact that when institutions will get strengthened, people will get empowered. New LG system of Punjab represented the national aspirations of the country. It will strengthen both people and democracy, said Sarwar.

During the meeting, Inspector General of Police, Punjab Capt (R) Arif Nawaz briefed about the investigation being carried out to trace the handlers of the terrorist attack outside Data Darbar. He also briefed the governor about the situation of peace and security in Punjab, including Lahore and how Punjab police are taking steps to improve it.

Chaudhry Sarwar paid tribute to the Punjab Police officials who were martyred in the suicide attack. He emphasised on intensifying security arrangements during Ramazan. He said that we shall never rest until the menace of terrorism is eliminated from the roots and the sacrifices of martyrs will not waste.

Resource mobilization: On the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht presided over a meeting of the resource mobilization committee at Chief Minister’s Office here on Friday.

Different proposals were discussed in detail to enhance the provincial resources. The finance minister said that taxation was a gateway to development and the goal of economics self-reliance could be achieved by promoting tax culture. He said that national resources would be spent on public welfare and the promotion of health and education sectors, adding that funds would also be utilized to improve the standard of basic facilities by enhancing the resources. The PTI government considers national resources as a public trust and increase in resources is the need of the time so that improvements could be brought through development schemes, he added.

Provincial Ministers Malik Muhammad Anwar, Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan Khichi, Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmed, Chief Secretary, SMBR, secretaries of finance, excise and taxation, transport, housing departments, PRA officials and others attended the meeting.

Meeting: Punjab Minister for Health Dr Yasmeen Rashid, while presiding over of 5th syndicate meeting of Rawalpindi Medical University, directed senior professors that they should remain present in OPD to facilitate the patients.

According to handout, Dr Yasmeen Rashid also took 35 professors of Rawalpindi Medical University in confidence regarding Medical Teaching Institutions Act. She also visited various departments of the university and inquired about the educational standard of students.

She lauded the efforts of administration of Rawalpindi Medical University for enhancing the standard of training and research to international level. She said MTI Act would prove government teaching hospitals a model for the patients and its scope would be extended to the other government hospitals of the province. She said that purpose of MTI Act was to provide relief to the patients.