Governor for joint effortsto purge country of corruption

LAHORE:Terming the corrupt the enemies of country's development and prosperity, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar said on Sunday that the PTI government would not budge an inch from its principled stand against corruption.

In his message on the occasion of Anti-Corruption Day here, he said that corruption was the root cause of all problems, including economic constraints, price-hike, unemployment and poverty.

He said that corruption was the biggest hurdle to development and prosperity of any country. Along with the government, he said that parliament, religious and political parties and all segments of society would have to play their role in elimination of corruption.

Sarwar said it had become inevitable to weed out corruption from every sector and at every level to rid the country of economic crisis, price-hike, unemployment and other problems. That was why Prime Minister Imran Khan had ensured independence of NAB, FIA and other accountability institutions for transparent and indiscriminate accountability.

Undoubtedly, today the accountability institutions, including NAB and FIA are working with such an independence that has no example in the past, he added. The Punjab governor said, "We are adhering to the policy of purging the institutions of political interference.

Our government has a clear policy that accountability process will continue until bringing the last corrupt to the confession box. Judiciary, NAB, FIA and other institutions are fighting corruption with commitment and sincerity for which entire nation pays tribute to them.

Chaudhry Sarwar said, "Today on the occasion of Anti-Corruption Day, we have to make a pledge that we all will play an active role in making Pakistan a corruption-free country. "He assured that every institution working against corruption would be encouraged so that country could be made corruption-free today, not tomorrow.

Practical steps to be taken for promotion of cotton: Punjab Agriculture Minister Malik Nauman Ahmed Langrial has said that financial resources will be provided for the revival of cotton and practical steps would be taken for promotion of the crop in non-secondary areas.

According to a press release issued here Sunday, the minister was presiding over a meeting to review the situation of the current season’s cotton crop at Mango Research Institute, Multan. He said that full attention would be paid to all aspects through which the cotton crop could be made more profitable for growers. The minister said that recommendations of stakeholders would be kept in mind while finalising short, medium and long-term planning aimed at the revival of cotton.

The provincial minister said that cotton could play a crucial role in improving the economy. Punjab Agriculture Secretary Wasif Khurshid, Agriculture Research Director General Dr Abid Mehmood, Agriculture (Extension) DG Dr Muhammad Anjum Aki and others were also present.