Modi govt adopting disastrous measures: Buzdar

LAHORE: The Punjab Cabinet in its meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar Monday strongly condemned the illegal and unconstitutional step taken by the Indian government to revoke the special status of Indian held Kashmir.

The Cabinet condemned the targeting of civilian population through cluster bombs at LOC and the India state terrorism in Indian occupied Kashmir. The cabinet expressed its strongest concern over the Indian decision and termed it a nefarious design to usurp the fundamental rights of the Kashmiri people.

Addressing the meeting, Usman Buzdar said that Modi government was adopting disastrous measures under a policy of brute military jingoism and asserted that the Indian step would be remembered as the darkest day in the history.

He reiterated that the Pakistani nation was standing with their Kashmiri brethren and vowed that diplomatic, political and moral support to Kashmiri brethren would be continued.

He said that durable peace and stability could not be achieved in the region without resolving the core issue of Kashmir. The cabinet offered Fateha for the Kashmiri martyrs who became victim to the barbarity of Indian occupied forces and prayed for early recovery of the injured.

Auqaf Minister Saeed-ul-Hassan Shah offered the prayer. Meanwhile, the meeting decided to start the second phase of Greater Thal Canal Project (Chobara Branch Canal System) and approved taking financial assistance from Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The chief minister said that 3.94 lakh acre land in five districts, including Jhang, Khushab, Bhakkar, Layyah and Muzaffargarh would be irrigated through Chobara Branch Canal System which would be completed at the cost of 190 million dollars.

The meeting decided to get benefit from project readiness financing for Punjab Water Resources Management Programme and approved seeking financial assistance from the ADB. Usman Buzdar said that ADB would provide 90 percent funds for this mega project. Under Punjab Water Resources Management Programme, remodeling and up-gradation of DG Khan Canal System would be done at a cost of 6.80 crore dollar.

Meanwhile, up-gradation and rehabilitation of upper Jhelum Canal system will be done through Water Resource Management Programme at the cost of 17.40 crore dollar. He said the project of using water of hill-torrents would be completed in DG Khan and Rajanpur at the cost of 31.60 crore dollars.

Greater Thal Canal Phase-III will be completed at the cost of 60 crore dollars to provide water to thousands of acres of land. It will help in resolving water-logging and salinity issues. The meeting approved steps for immediately removing hurdles in completion of civil work for installing 24km long 500kv transmission line from Guddu to Muzaffargarh.

The meeting approved the decision of ending reallocation policy for sugar mills in Punjab; and after this decision, sugar mills would not be relocated to any other area.

The chief minister said the purpose of this policy was to protect sugarcane farmers. Cabinet approved the draft of The Punjab Control of Narcotics Substance Act, 2018. Usman Buzdar said that this act would help to control narcotics adding that new excise department force and excise stations would be established in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Rahim Yar Khan and Mianwali.

The cabinet approved reconstitution of Directorate of Reclamation and Probation and the meeting was told by the chief minister that 51,636 prisoners would benefit from this reform which was being done after a long gap of 92 years.

This reform would help in releasing of prisoners showing good behaviour and those who have had completed their jail terms. The meeting also approved the draft of the Punjab Industries Rules, 2019 for dealing with matters pertaining to the control of cement plants and their expansions.

The meeting approved Punjab Sales Tax on Services (Refund) Rules, 2019 along with approval of proposed amendments to Partnership Act of 1932 to exempt private firms from paying registration fee.

The meeting approved the notification relating to the establishment of Mir Chakar Khan Rind University of Technology in DG Khan. It also approved various matters including devising the establishment criterion of search committee to review different matters including experience and qualification required for posting of vice-chancellor of the university.

It approved the establishment of search committee and other necessary laws for the posting of VC Punjab University of Technology Rasool. The meeting approved notification for the establishment of Punjab Skills Development Authority; also approved Punjab Schools Construction and Rehabilitation Programme and 100 model schools would be set up under this programme with the cooperation of DFID. A sum of Rs1.20 billion will be spent on it while another amount of Rs3.20 billion will be spent on the construction of 2,500 classrooms.

Similarly, 1,000computer labs and equal number of libraries will be upgraded in schools at a cost of Rs1.64 billion. The cabinet also approved amendments to Aab Pak Authority Act.

The meeting decided to scrap duty on Ethanol besides approving amendments to Family Courts Act, 1964. The meeting approved reconstitution of board of directors of Punjab Economic Research Institute.

It also approved exit of Punjab Rural Support Company from public sector companies list of Local Government Department. The establishment of DG Khan Waste Management Company was also approved.

The meeting reviewed matters pertaining to implementation of federal excise duty on crude oil besides reviewing matters relating to enforcement of Article 154 of Constitution of Pakistan 1973. The meeting endorsed the decisions made in 15th meeting of Cabinet.