Minister flays drive against social welfare institution

LAHORE:Punjab Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Social Welfare Raja Basharat has said that viral videos on social media regarding Kashana Lahore are merely propaganda against the government and girls, women and children residing in social welfare institutions are being fully protected and they are satisfied.

He paid a surprise visit to Kashana, a government institution in the Township, on Monday. Women Protection Authority, Punjab Chairperson Kaniz Fatima, Secretary Social Welfare Zahid Saleem, Samiya Ijaz and other officers in-charge of Kashana accompanied him.

Raja Basharat inspected various parts of Kashana and found all the arrangements there, including security, satisfactory. He said the department had in fact transferred the former in-charge as per the rules and regulations but she was not ready to leave the office and the official residence. Instead, she started charging various people, including the former minister.

He said the police had gone to Kashana only to help release the charge and the arrest warrant is mere dominance because how could the police arrest them when there was no FIR against the former in-charge and her husband. Raja Basharat expressed regret that if the previous in-charge had any reservations, she should have brought it to my notice or the secretary’s but she did not say anything before she was transferred.

He said that the former in-charge is still living in the official residence of Kashana with her family which is a violation of law and they should vacate the residence for the new in-charge. Law Minister said that allegations of embezzlement in the government exchequer by the former in-charge had surfaced for which inquiry was under way.

On this occasion, Raja Basharat met the girls living in Kashana and distributed juice, biscuits, candies and chips among them.