No selective development in Punjab, says CM Usman Buzdar

LAHORE:Members of National Assembly, including Chief Whip Amer Dogar, Shaukat Ali Bhatti, Nawab Sher Waseer and Haji Imtiaz called on Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office and discussed matters of mutual interest. Talking to them, the chief minister stated that shortage of resources could not weaken the commitment of progress, adding that consultation with assembly members would be ensured for development schemes. He pointed out that negative culture of one-man show had been done away with and everything was done with the consultation. The process of development will not be confined to selected areas and the recommendations of the parliamentarians are very important for me, he added. The ongoing development schemes will be completed, he assured.

The parliamentarians stated that Usman Buzdar had put Punjab on the road to durable development and congratulated him on the posting of officers for the southern Punjab secretariat. Law Minister Raja Basharat was also present.

revenue affairs: Usman Buzdar on Monday chaired a meeting at his office about reforms in the Board of Revenue and directed to make functional mobile Arazi Centres at the earliest.

The chief minister stated that important reforms would be introduced to settle the revenue matters and a composite system would be devised to facilitate the citizens. He directed to constitute a committee for introducing departmental reforms under Law Minister Raja Basharat. This committee will submit its recommendations within seven days and decisions will be made in the light of committee recommendations. The CM regretted that the past rulers raised hollow slogans about the elimination of archaic patwari culture but no practical steps were taken in this regard. The PTI government is taking necessary steps to rectify the past lapses, he added. The PTI government is committed to creating ease for the citizens and composite reforms are needed to improve the revenue affairs. I know that citizens face a lot of problems and they will be given relief by increasing the number of Arazi Centres, he concluded. SMBR briefed about departmental reforms and an increase in the number of arazi centres. Law Minister Raja Basharat, chief secretary and others attended the meeting.

INDIAN AGGRESSION: Usman Buzdar has strongly condemned Indian army's continued atrocities along the line of control (LoC) and prayed for early recovery of five persons who were injured due to unprovoked firing of the occupied Indian army in Nakyal Sector.

India has gone berserk and is violating all international laws by continuously targeting the civilian population, he deplored. The barbarities being committed by the Hindu supremacist Modi regime are a threat to regional peace. It is sanguine that brave armed forces of Pakistan have always given a befitting reply to the cowardly enemy, the CM concluded.

FEDERAL MINISTER: Federal Minister for Industries and Production Muhammad Hammad Azhar called on Chief Minister Usman Buzdar at his office and discussed matters of mutual interests. The chief minister on the occasion stated the government had fully focused on the development of backward areas, including the provincial metropolis. He added that Prime Minister Imran Khan had laid the foundation stone of Lahore Ring RoadSouthern Loop-III project and work was in progress on mother and child hospital, and Firdous Market's underpass project. Lahore's sewerage system will also be improved and people will be provided more facilities through mega projects, he assured.

A tax-relief package worth Rs18 billion was given to help recover the trade and industrial sector in the previous financial year. Similarly, a relief package costing Rs56 billion has also been given this financial year to support trade and business activities, he added.

Meanwhile, work is in progress on 13 special economic zones and industrial estates are being set up on more than 10,000 acres in Punjab. The government is fully committed to solving the people’s problems and development work in the areas of the elected representatives will be done with their consultation, the CM added.