Punjab to raise Baloch girl students’ seats: Buzdar

LAHORE: An MoU was signed in a ceremony organised in Balochistan Secretariat on the occasion of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar’s visit, according to which Punjab government will construct a civil hospital in Rakhni area of Barkhan.

Usman Buzdar and Balochistan Chief Minister Quddus Bizenjo were the chief guests of the ceremony. Secretary Primary and Secondary Health Punjab and Secretary Health Baluchistan signed the MoU. Usman Buzdar while addressing the participants said that the Punjab government would not only construct a hospital in Rakhni but also provide necessary equipment and machinery for the hospital from its own resources. He said the hospital will be a gift from the people of Punjab to their Balochi brethren.

The hospital being constructed over the land of 15-acre will provide modern healthcare facilities to the people of Barkhan District and its suburbs. Punjab is always available to serve its Balochi brethren, adding that Balochistan is very close to my heart, Usman Buzdar said and added that he came with the message of love, best wishes and brotherhood from Punjab.

We will move forward on the road of progress together, he said. CM Balochistan Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo while thanking CM Usman Buzdar for providing resources for the construction of the hospital, said Punjab has always played the role of an elder brother. He said inter-provincial relations would further promote national unity and brotherhood.

Usman Buzdar met with a delegation of Balochi provincial ministers and assembly members led by Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo at the CM's secretariat Baluchistan in Quetta. Deputy Speaker National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri and MPAs from Opposition benches were also present on this occasion. The CM announced doubling the number of seats reserved for female students of Balochistan in the universities of Punjab and reiterated that Punjab as an elder brother will continue to support Balochistan in every sector. He said he considered Baluchistan his second home. The Balochi people should also think of Punjab as their own home. The people of Balochistan and their elected representatives will always get full respect in Punjab, he added. Usman Buzdar assured that more hospitals would be set up in other districts of Balochistan as well. He said that the checking system on the border of both provinces would be made simple and easy.

Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo said, “We have to serve Pakistan and our provinces together. The people of Baluchistan have great respect for Punjab's cooperation in health, communication, education and other fields, said Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo.

Meanwhile, a high-level meeting was held under the chair of Usman Buzdar at CM’s office to review progress on Punjab Intermediate Cities Improvement Investment Programme. The CM in order to improve the rural sewerage and sanitation system has given approval to establish a separate agency Punjab Rural Sustainable Municipal Service. This agency will be responsible for providing sewerage and sanitation services in the rural areas of the province and will have an autonomous board of directors.

On the directions of the CM, the programme has been started to make 50 villages of the province model villages. Usman Buzdar said that setting up a separate body Punjab Rural Sustainable Municipal Service would further improve the sewerage and sanitation system in the villages. He assured that along with sewerage and sanitation schemes, other public welfare projects would also be completed in the rural areas of the province. He said that under Punjab Intermediate Cities Improvement Investment Programme, development projects of worth Rs 43 billion are being completed in Sahiwal and Sialkot including laying new sewerage lines in both cities. He further maintained that projects of restoring parks in Sahiwal and Sialkot have been completed. Work is also being started on public welfare projects in Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, DG Khan and Multan. Usman Buzdar directed for completing the process of providing necessary machinery for solid waste management at the earliest.