—Orders regularisation of informal settlements on govt land in Punjab
LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government will remove flaws in the existing local government system to serve the people in the best possible way.
The prime minister said this while chairing a meeting of Punjab cabinet in Lahore on Sunday.
Taking the cabinet members into confidence on local government system and housing programme, the premier said that the purpose of local government system is public welfare so that people at the grass root level are empowered.
He said the new system will ensure completion of developmental projects on time, adding that there will be a complete check on financial irregularities in the local government system.
The prime minister directed the provincial cabinet to do timely legislation on the issue. He was of the view that upcoming by-elections are very important for the ruling party and a full fledge election campaign was needed to be launched for success.
Prime Minister Imran Khan also directed for timely achievement of targets set under the 100-days plan of his government and urged the provincial cabinet members to strive for serving the masses. He asked the Punjab government to lend its support in the national cleanliness and plantation campaigns.
The prime minister was of the view that the steps should be taken for judicious utilisation of the government-owned lands and buildings.
Terming the by-elections as of utmost significance for the PTI, he directed for running effective public campaigns.
PM Imran was briefed on anti-encroachment operations, Clean and Green Punjab programme, Apna Ghar housing scheme, health and education initiatives, among other matters.
ANTI-ENCROACHMENT OPERATION:
The prime minister praised the ongoing campaign against land mafia and encroachments and said that the Punjab government should make all-out efforts to recover government lands from encroachers, assuring that the federal government will assist the provincial administration in this regard.
The PM reiterated that the operation should be carried out against the strong mafia not against the poor living in shanties.
Furthermore, Imran Khan ordered regularisation of informal settlements on government-owned land across Punjab, along with making other important announcements during a meeting with members of the provincial cabinet.
During the meeting, the premier instructed the relevant authorities to regularise informal settlements on state land across the province and to follow court orders where private land was concerned.
‘CM BUZDAR REPRESENTS POLITICS OF CHANGE’:
Addressing media after the meeting, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar represents politics of change and vowed that his nominee will never be involved in financial malpractices.
“I always wanted a CM like Usman Buzdar. He knows the problem of a common man,” he said. “He is not corrupt, has a soft corner for the people and understands their problems.”
“He has seen people dying in his hands due to lack of health facilities,” PM Khan said and called He said Usman Buzdar is an honest man and he has a soft corner for people, he is humble and meets everyone who comes to him. Prime Minister Imran Khan said, “Usman Buzdar is available all the time to assembly members and he is in contact with them. I trust him, he is not corrupt and he would be the most successful chief minister of Punjab.”
The premier said that CM Buzdar will continue to be Punjab chief minister till the completion of PTI government’s tenure.
PM Khan also held a one-on-one meeting with CM Buzdar prior to the meeting of the provincial cabinet.
The chief minister informed the prime minister that he had reduced expenses of CM office, which were 5.5 million per month in the previous government’s tenure, to Rs0.9 million per month.
The prime minister said that he was glad that the chief minister had reduced the expenses but the people should also be informed of the achievement because people want to know such feats.
Earlier in the day, the premier had arrived in Lahore for a day-long visit. The prime minister was welcomed at Government Officers Residence by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. PM Khan also met Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar, where PM’s Special Assistant Naeemul Haq was also present.
