close
Thursday March 28, 2024

‘Rs10 billion package to give people relief’

By Our Correspondent
February 13, 2020

LAHORE:Punjab Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal has said the federal government has announced a mega relief package for price-hike stricken people.

Prime Minister Imran Khan announced Rs10 billion package for provision of relief with regard to essential items to the common man. Decision to open two thousand new stores is also welcoming and thousands of families will get employment opportunities with this people-friendly step of the government, he lauded.

Mian Aslam Iqbal expressed these views in a statement. He said the Punjab government has taken effective measures to overcome inflation and provision of relief to the masses. Home delivery service of fruit and vegetables has also been launched in five big cities of the province though Qeemat App, he said. Essential items are being provided on people’s doorsteps on government’s rates in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad and Gujranwala, he added. People can benefit through this revolutionary step of the government by downloading Hari Qeemat Punjab App. Effective crackdown will continue on profiteers and hoarders and the mafias creating artificial flour and sugar crisis will not be spared at any cost. Mafias who ruin peace and comfort of the masses do not deserve any leniency and the PTI government will go to every extent to alleviate problems of the masses, he said.

Interfaith harmony: Creating interfaith harmony in society is the government’s foremost priority and it is doing its best to achieve this objective. The members of the Punjab Assembly are committed to support the proposed interfaith harmony policy for Punjab province.

This was stated by Ijaz Alam Augustine, Minister for Human Rights, Minorities’ Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, at a consultative session with MPAs from Punjab on how to promote interfaith harmony in the province, make it safe from hate and violence and give space to followers of different religions living here.

The consultation was organised jointly by an NGO and the ministry to seek and compile suggestions for incorporation into the proposed interfaith policy for Punjab province. Shahid Rehmat, NGO’s executive director, said it was a great development that MPAs from different parties and both opposition and treasury benches had joined their heads and decided to find solutions to the conflicts and violence caused due to intolerance and discrimination on religious grounds.

He shared the consultation was one of the 12 consultation meetings scheduled with different stakeholders, including parliamentarians, lawyers, academics, media personnel, religious leaders etc after which suggestions collected from them would be considered for inclusion in the Punjab interfaith policy.

Tariq Gill, PML-N MPA, supported the cause and said they would support the initiative regardless of the fact that they were in Opposition at the moment. He said good acts must be backed regardless of party affiliations.

Parliamentary Secretary, Mahinder Pal Singh, said minorities are crown of a society and bring good name to the countries where they are respected and given due space.