Notifications on South Punjab Secretariat cancelled for now

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has said the notifications of March 29 and 30 on south Punjab secretariat have been cancelled. He said that the possibility of a human error and clerical mistake cannot be ignored.

In the light of the investigation of the ministerial committee, the secretary concerned has been made OSD. The establishment of a south Punjab secretariat is part of the PTI agenda and the party has contested elections under it to ameliorate the lot of the common man living in remote areas.

The PTI government has doubled the budget for south Punjab. Addressing a press conference at his office on Friday, the CM announced the March 30 notification on the rules of business of the district had also been cancelled and a ministerial committee led by the finance minister directed to devise new rules, as the government was committed to giving the best and efficient administration to south Punjab. He said the ministerial committee would submit its recommendation on expanding the number of existing 16 departments to all the provincial departments in south Punjab.

It will also recommend making south Punjab secretariat more efficient and active while laying the foundation stone of south Punjab secretariat is being contemplated as well. Similarly, Mr Buzdar disclosed that the bill on reserving a job quota for south Punjab will be presented before the cabinet and further disclosed that he has decided to spend a full day in Multan and another in Bahawalpur every month. Similarly, all the ministers will also go to Multan and Bahawalpur every month for two days, he said.

A provincial cabinet meeting was held in Bahawalpur for the first time and a cabinet meeting will also be held in Multan soon and this will continue, he said. South Punjab secretariat will be made fully functional and no hurdles will be allowed to arise in this regard, the CM emphasised, adding that the committee will give its recommendations in seven days. Replying to questions, Buzdar said he belongs to a backward area in south Punjab and now the whole province is being moved forward.

“I want to make it clear that south Punjab secretariat will not be rolled back. Rather it will be moved forward and further progress will be made in consultation with the ministerial committee,” he said. Replying to a question, the CM said the line departments are actively working on the arrangements relating to Ramazan and different items will be provided to the people according to the rates of 2018 in 313 sahulat bazaars.

The CM advised the people to follow corona SOPs, as pressure is increasing on the health system. Meanwhile, the CM said the federal government was approached to meet the shortage of oxygen. He asked the media to lend a helping hand in sensitising people and announced his resolve to continue serving the masses while the conspirators will be busy fulfilling their agenda. About the cabinet, he said room for improvement is always there. Replying to a question about the allies, he said he takes advice and acts upon it too. Matters are good with the allies and they have no problem, he said. Mt Buzdar said the PTI vote-bank has rapidly increased in by-elections, adding that the directions of the Supreme Court will be followed while success or defeat is part of the game. Similarly, postings and transfers are a routine matter and strict action will be taken on the complaint of extortion of money by police during corona lockdown, he said. Federal Minister Khusro Bakhtiar thanked the chief minister for taking immediate action to address reservations of the people of south Punjab. The people of south Punjab are awoken for their rights while the PTI is a public representative party from Karachi to Khyber.

The PTI submitted a resolution in the assembly, last year, for south Punjab province and the opposition is invited to come forward to jointly resolve the issues faced by the nation, he added. Provincial Ministers Raja Basharat, Hashim Jawan Bakht, Hussain Jahanian Gardezi, Mohsin Leghari, Sardar Husnain Bahadur Dareshak, Dr Muhammad Akhtar Malik, Shoukat Lalika, SACM Firdous Ashiq Awan, Tahir Bashir Cheema and others were also present. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar also chaired an important meeting Friday to hold a detailed review of proposals to empower the south Punjab secretariat. Provincial ministers belonging to south Punjab presented proposals on the south Punjab secretariat and the CM appreciated them. The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Raja Basharat, Hashim Jawan Bakht, Mohsin Leghari, Husnain Bahadur Dareshak. Shoukat Lalika, Hussain Jahanian Gardezi, Akhtar Malik, SACM Firdous Ashiq Awan, Tahir Bashir Cheema, Chief Secretary, Chairman P&D and ACS (South Punjab) and others.