LAHORE: Punjab is being discriminated against in the supply of sui gas, which is badly affecting the industrial sector of the province, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Tuesday.
He made these remarks while addressing members of the Gujrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Shahbaz said that he wants economic prosperity of Punjab and the province be granted its due right. Shahbaz said that he had raised the issue of gas load shedding with the prime minister and the petroleum minister.
He told industrialists that the Punjab government had started working on a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project for using it as a substitute of sui gas, which would improve gas supply to the industrial sector. Shahbaz said that the Punjab government would play its role for protecting the industrial sector of the province.
The chief minister announced formation of a board of governors including members of the Gujrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry for upgrading the Swedish Pakistani Institute, Gujrat so that the project could be implemented as early as possible. Punjab Finance Minister Tanvir Ashraf Kaira said that maladministration was high during the previous government’s rule and criminal elements used to roam freely.
Separately, the chief minister addressed government officers, politicians and traders in Gujrat. He said that inflation, unemployment and poverty could not be controlled without eliminating corruption. He said that corruption and nepotism under the garb of development projects were rampant during the previous government’s tenure.
Shahbaz Sharif announced various development projects in Gujrat including construction of a parking plaza worth Rs 100 million at the Hassan Chowk, which would solve the long-standing traffic and parking problem of the area. He also announced up-gradation of the Swedish Pakistani Institute and construction of a dual road at the Gujrat bypass railway crossing.
He also announced various projects worth millions of rupees including construction of a maternity hospital, rural health centres, repairs of drains and construction and widening of roads.
Also on Tuesday, Chief Minister Shahbaz took strict notice of issuance of more than 13,000 bogus arms licenses in Gujrat and directed officials that all government officers and private individuals involved in the scandal be brought to justice.
