Saad orders making strategy to tackle flood

LAHORE : Railways and Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has directed the PR administration to form a comprehensive strategic plan to tackle flood waves in future.

Presiding over a meeting at the PR headquarters here on Saturday, he appreciated the Railways for organising relief arrangements and provision of food and medical facilities to the affectees of flood-hit areas of Balochistan.

He said that the PR was still facing the after effects of the damage to the track due to heavy rains in the areas of Mitting and Bolari of Karachi division.

He also directed the administration to make old coaches useable at the Railways Mughulpura Workshops on immediate basis.

“It should be ensured that cost the coaches could be recovered within the given time of the coaches,” he added.

The minister asked the staff to make plan of upgradation of the workshops by replacing old machinery with the modern one on urgent basis.

He directed upgradation of warehouses at the workshop so that better monitoring and protection of the goods could be made.

The Railways should make plans to establish stalls in every division to generate more revenue for the department, he said.

The minister stresses on solarisation of different sections of the department and asked to start it from railway factories in phase one.

He ordered to complete installation of furnace arch machinery in the Mughulpura workshops within the current year.

Earlier, the minister was given briefing on provision of food hampers and medical facilities by the PR department to Balochistan’s citizens of the flood-hit areas.

Ashrafi stresses collective efforts for country’s progress: Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Interfaith Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi said on Saturday that collective efforts were needed to put the country on the road to progress and prosperity.

Addressing the ‘Umrah Seminar 2022’, organised by the Meezab Group of Hajj, Umrah travelers at a local hotel, he said political and religious leaders should play their role to maintain peace in the country.

“We should evolve such a strategy which could put the entire Muslim world on the road to progress and prosperity,” he added.

Tahir Ashrafi, who is also chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council, said that Saudi Arabia was the centre of Islam, which was playing a significant role in bridging the gap among Muslims across the world.

He appreciated the outstanding services being rendered by the Saudi government and Ministry for Religious Affairs Pakistan for the Hajj pilgrims.

Ashrafi said the government was supporting large business groups like Meezab Group for the country’s development and its role for providing employment to the youth.

He said, “We have to think together for betterment of the country”.

Tahir Mehmood said, “We should build a consensus and devise a long-term strategy to deal with economic, interior and foreign policies for a stable Pakistan.” Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor, Meezab Group Chairman Shahid Mehmod Anwar, LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, Al-Khidmat Foundation President Mian Abdul Shakoor and others were also present.