AJK people reject the ‘corrupt’: CM

LAHORE:Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Monday extended felicitations to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates on their success in the AJK elections, and said that the voters expressed their full confidence in the trustworthy leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

In a statement issued here, he said that the PTI’s success was a victory of honesty and trustworthiness.After Gilgit-Baltistan, the people in AJK also rejected the negative politics of looters and thieves, he added. The anti-state narrative of the opposition had been crushed and the Kashmiris had put the last nail in the coffin of the corrupt, he said. He said the people of Kashmir had chosen a sincere, transparent and service-oriented leadership. They chose the PTI because of its performance and results were success of the agenda of change in the new Pakistan, he added.

COVID-19: Usman Buzdar chaired a meeting at Civil Secretariat on Monday to review the steps to deal with the fourth coronavirus wave. He was briefed about the special vaccination drive in five cities. Five million people in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Gujranwala and Faisalabad would be vaccinated by 14 August. The chief minister ordered for expediting the vaccination drive and said that the health department and the administration concerned should actively perform their duties to make the campaign a success. It was satisfying that around 20 percent population had been vaccinated across Punjab, he said and added that the provincial government had made effective measures to curb the virus as the ratio of positive cases was less than three percent in the province.

He appealed to the people to follow the SOPs to remain safe from the COVID-19 fourth wave as 11 persons had died due to corona during the last 24 hours, he added. Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, chief secretary and others also attended the meeting.

PDMA: The chief minister visited Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) head office on Monday to inspect the control room, established for monitoring the monsoon season and possible flood situation.

He was briefed about the situation of rivers, the weather forecasting system, arrangements for dealing with the flood-related situation and relief activities. The CM directed the PDMA to remain fully vigilant and continuously monitor the inflow and outflow of water in rivers and the weather conditions. The line departments should remain alert with their emergency plans and the best coordination between federal and provincial departments be ensured, he added. All arrangements should be made to deal with urban flooding, he said.

The CM expressed his satisfaction that work had been started to develop an underground water tank in Lahore to store rainwater.

The facility at Lawrence Road had been completed while the foundation stone of another underground water tank near Alhamra would be laid soon, he added. Four underground water tanks would be constructed in Lahore, he said.

The CM directed the PDMA to ensure availability of necessary material in warehouses, adding that dewatering sets should be made fully functional, along with ensuring the availability of anti-venom vaccines in districts. The Meteorological Department should submit its weather report daily and a daily report of rains in rivers’ catchment areas be compiled as well, he added.

The CM announced a two-month salary for the PDMA staff as honorarium and promised to fulfill the responsibility of providing necessary resources.

CONDOLENCES: The chief minister expressed deep grief over the death of Malik Ata Muhammad, the elder brother of Provincial Energy Minister Dr Akhtar Malik. In a condolence message here Monday, he extended heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed that may Almighty Allah rest the departed soul in eternal peace.