Village Panchayat polls likely in March: CM Usman Buzdar

LAHORE:Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Monday presided over provincial parliamentary party meeting in which provincial ministers and MPAs of PTI and PML-Q were present.

The meeting finalised its strategy with regard to ongoing Punjab Assembly session. Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said that public welfare had always been given preference by the government adding that all matters were being settled with mutual consultations in Punjab. He said that Village Panchayat elections were expected in the month of March and the LG department was making necessary arrangements in this regard.

The Village Panchayat elections will be held on a non-party basis while the local governments’ elections will be held on a party basis in the next phase. The chief minister announced that overhead bridges would be constructed at different places of the provincial metropolis to facilitate the pedestrians along with bringing improvements in the traffic system. Similarly, different roads will be repaired in Lahore at cost of Rs1 billion. Usman Buzdar added that comprehensive jail reforms had also been introduced by the PTI government and announced that parole rules were being changed to facilitate 5,000 prisoners.

For the first time in the history of the province, I have used the authority of the chief minister to remit prisoners’ sentences and 1,000 prisoners have also been got released by paying their fines, added Usman Buzdar. He said that motorbike ambulance service was being extended to other districts of the province and Rescue-1122 employees’ allowance had also been increased.