Punjab cabinet meeting approves various amendments

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar chaired the 37th meeting of the provincial cabinet at his office on Monday.

The meeting approved amendments and reinforcement of Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Act, 2014. The number of members will be increased from 23 to 27 and tehsil level committees will also be constituted.

Approval was also granted to upgrade Emerson College Multan to the level of a university and Children's Hospital and Institute of Child Health Lahore as the University of Child Health along with the approval of the proposed draft of the University of the Child Health. The school of postgraduate nursing, school of allied medical sciences and paediatrics school will be established under the university.

Change of names of government-run colleges was approved after phasing out of BA/BSc and MA/MSc programmes as BA and MA programmes will be stopped from first January 2021 and no new admission will be entertained. The degree college will be renamed as an associate degree college, the postgraduate college will be changed to graduate college and postgraduate college will be utilised for M.Phil purposes.

The meeting approved the amendment in Section 14-A of the code of criminal procedure as well as the draft of Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children Rules, 2019 for registration of organisation managing accommodation under Section 20-A. The decision to withdraw Section 14-A of the code of criminal procedure was approved as well.

Amendment in Punjab Motor Vehicles Transaction Licenses Rules, 2015 was approved. The security fee to be charged from the unauthorised dealer with more than 10-year business experience will be equivalent to the authorised car dealer for registration. While unauthorised dealers with less than 10-year market experience will be charged double security fees compared to authorised dealers. The meeting also decided to bring the localities outside rating areas along national, provincial highways and motorways under property tax net under Punjab Finance Act, 2019 in addition to agricultural properties. Transfer of 28-Kanal auqaf land in Sialkot to the army was approved.

The meeting reviewed the Local Government Land Use Plan Rules, 2020 and directed to constitute a committee for a fresh review of land use plan rules. The terms and conditions of contract appointment of Abdul Sattar as chairman/member Punjab Labour Appellate Tribunal-II Multan were approved.

The CM directed the ministers and secretaries to ensure their attendance in celebrations of Shan-e-Rehmatul-Lil-Alameen Week. The meeting endorsed the decisions of September 21 and October 6, 2020 cabinet meetings, 41st, 42nd and 43rd meetings of standing committees for finance and development and 33rd, 34th and 35th meetings of the standing committee for legislation. Fateha was also offered for the departed soul of the brother of Auqaf Minister Syed-ul-Hassan Shah.

Ministers, advisers, special assistants, CS and others attended the meeting. Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that the 37th meeting of the provincial cabinet chaired by the Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has approved the upgradation of Children Hospital and Institute of Child Health Lahore to University of Child Health. She said the amendments approved by Punjab Cabinet would bring positive changes in Punjab province.

These views were expressed by Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister on Information in media briefing, right after the 37th meeting of the provincial cabinet here on Monday.

While responding to a question, she said that the victory of PTI in Gilgit-Baltistan elections has proved that the public has not only rejected but buried the anti-state narrative of PML-N.

Calibri Queen went to Gilgit-Baltistan just for photo shoot and returned empty handed. The Maryam Safdar’s plan to instigate Bilawal will fail as well.

She said the Silk Route and Gilgit-Baltistan are the lifelines for CPEC. The PTI is going to form a government in Gilgit-Baltistan with a majority seats, she said. “The people of Gilgit-Baltistan have rejected the Calibri Queen and Bilawal Zardari and they must accept their defeat,” she said.