LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday presided over a meeting of steering committee on missing children and expressed satisfaction over the efforts for the recovery of missing children, saying that steps in this regard should be continued in a professional manner. He said that the measures taken for the recovery or return of missing children to their homes are commendable and it is due to prompt and effective steps taken by Punjab government that positive results have been achieved. Shahbaz Sharif directed that Punjab Prosecution Department (PPD) to actively perform its duties for early disposal of cases under hearing in courts, adding that legislation should be made for declaring crime against children a non-bailable offence. He said that a plan should be evolved for enrolment of beggar children and effective steps taken for welfare and rehabilitation of such children. The chief minister said that beggary is not the destiny of children and they should be made useful citizens. “An effective strategy be evolved for elimination of beggary after looking into all aspects,” he directed. The meeting was informed that 18 children have been returned to their homes during last six days. Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, Special Assistant Rana Maqbool Ahmed and MPA Jahangir Khanzada were present on the occasion. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif presided over another meetingto review various matters pertaining to the Punjab Clean Water Project. The meeting decided to set up separate clean water companies for south and north Punjab under the Khadim-e-Punjab Saaf Pani Programme. Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said that clean water project is of basic importance for healthy life, adding that citizens would be provided clean drinking water at a cost of billions of rupees under Khadim-e-Punjab Saaf Pani Programme and high standard of this programme would be ensured come what may. He said that with the establishment of separate companies in north and south Punjab would be implemented effectively, adding that timely utilisation of resources of billions of rupees would be ensured to help provide continuous supply of clean drinking water to the citizens. He said that access of clean drinking water is the right of people and no effort would be spared for this purpose. Provincial Minister Tanvir Aslam Malik, Saaf Pani Company Chairman MPA Muhammad Kashif Padhiyar and Taskforce for Information and Culture Chairman Muhammad Maalik attended the meeting. Moreover, Shahbaz Sharif congratulated Pakistani cricket team on achieving the first position in test ranking. In a felicitation message, the chief minister said that it is a great honour for national cricket team to achieve first position in the history of test rankings, winning laurels for the country.