–CM reiterates resolve to root out corruption
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Monday took notice of kite flying incidents in different cities of the province.
Seeking a report from the police high-ups in this respect, the chief minister directed them to take stern action against the violators of the ban.
He ordered to ensure the implementation of the law banning kite flying and directed the authorities concerned to provide best medical facilities to persons injured in kite flying incidents.
On Sunday, at least 175 persons were arrested during a police crackdown on kite flyers in different parts of Lahore.
The crackdown was launched on the instruction of DIG (Operations) Waqas Nazir. Police also recovered hundreds of kites and spools of glass-coated string from the arrested persons.
Reports said that cases against the kite flyers were registered at different police stations of the city.
Earlier in December 2017, Punjab Information and Culture Minister Fayyazul Hasan Chohan had stated that the provincial authorities have decided to celebrate Basant in the second week of February 2019.
The decision was challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC) in a plea contending it might cause loss of innocent lives. The ban on Basant was imposed by the Supreme Court in 2007 after deaths of several people due to glass-coated kite strings.
Amid pressure from the civil society, the Punjab government had last week decided to not celebrate the festival and submitted a detailed reply to the LHC.
ROOTING OUT CORRUPTION:
Separately, CM Buzdar reiterated his resolve to root out corruption from the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“Pakistan will emerge as a corruption-free country under the leadership of PM Imran as the captain’s struggle has paid off and the people have given the mandate of a new Pakistan,” he said while speaking to Punjab Assembly members Nazir Ahmed Chohan and Chaudhry Faisal Farooq Cheema.
The chief minister said there was no room for any corruption in “new Pakistan” and the country would be transformed as per the premier’s vision. “We will make Pakistan a welfare state where all facilities of life are available for the common man.”
The country, he added, was moving towards prosperity during the tenure of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
