*CM announces Rs 500m Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for displaced persons from tribal areas
The Punjab government and the people of the province are with their brethren and sisters of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa who have been displaced in the war against terrorism and they will not be left alone in this moment of trial, said Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif on Monday.
Shahbaz has set up Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the displaced persons of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and a sum of Rs 500 million has been deposited in the fund on behalf of the Punjab government. The Punjab chief minister, provincial ministers and assembly members of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have donated their one month’s salary to the fund.
The chief minister in his appeal to the people said that the nation is fully supporting ghazis and martyrs of Pak Army as well as the displaced persons with its prayers, life and property and all other belongings at this crucial hour. He said that philanthropists and well-offs should come forward and donate generously towards Chief Minister’s Relief Fund so that maximum assistance could be provided to the displaced persons.
He said that the Punjab government will continue to extend full cooperation till the return of displaced persons to their homes and their complete rehabilitation while relief items will also be provided to them. The CM said that Pakistan is passing through the most critical phase of its history and is facing internal and external security challenges. He said that Pakistani nation is in a state of war and Pak Army is fighting against terrorists in the war for the survival and stability of the country.
The CM further said that it is essential that the whole nation should unite on one platform to purge the country of the menace of terrorism. He said that the need for unity is more than ever now and the scourge of terrorism will have to be rooted out for making Pakistan a cradle of peace and harmony. He said that every segment of the society will have to play his role for bringing the country out of the quagmire of problems.
The CM said that the Pakistan Muslim League-N government is making sincere efforts for the progress and development of the country. He said that under these circumstances, politics of protest is totally unjustified and tantamount to creating hurdles in the journey towards progress and development. He said that amidst security threats, sit-ins, public meetings, rallies and agitation are totally against the interest of the country. He said that the elements engaged in protest politics should let the process of progress and development process go on uninterrupted in the interest of the nation instead of creating hurdles.
He said that the government led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is determined to steer the country out of crises and the day is not far off when Pakistan will become a haven of peace, energy crisis and terrorism will be eliminated, economic activities will accelerate and Pakistan will become a strong economic force. He said that solid economic policies of the government are yielding positive results and due to the steps taken by the government, foreign exchange reserves has increased while Pakistani currency has stabilised.
SHAHBAZ KEEPS AN EYE ON QADRI:
The Punjab CM kept monitoring the situation moment to moment after arrival of the aeroplane of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri at the Lahore Airport. The chief minister was kept informed about the arrival of aeroplane of Qadri and his visit to the Jinnah Hospital. The CM also issued necessary instructions to provincial administration and senior officers of the police about handling the situation. Workers of the PAT were given a free hand at the airport and Jinnah Hospital whereas special security arrangements were made for Qadri. No untoward incident occurred at the airport and the Jinnah Hospital due to personal interest and strategy of the CM. The CM also appreciated the restraint and tolerance shown by police despite torture by workers of the PAT.