Daily Times

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has congratulated the PTI Chairman Imran Khan and the successful candidates for their success in the by-elections, and said Imran’s victory on six seats shows he is the most popular leader of the country.

In a statement on Monday, the CM said that in the political history of Pakistan, a candidate has never won six seats in the National Assembly at the same time. He said Imran Khan’s victory is Pakistan’s victory and the results have proved that Imran Khan is the most popular leader of Pakistan. He said the results are writing on the wall for the PDM as Imran Khan has clean-bowled the 13-party alliance.

“The people have hammered the last nail in the coffin of the corrupt elements,” he maintained.

“The people have full confidence in the leadership of Tehreek-e-Insaf and they have rejected the imported government by the power of their votes,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Pervaiz Elahi approved Lahore’s Master Plan-2050 and also consented to a one-window operation facility for expatriate Pakistanis in LDA’s housing schemes while chairing LDA (Lahore Development Authority) governing body meeting.

Now, overseas Pakistanis would be able to purchase plots from LDA in one day. The plot’s transfer facility would be provided to them on the same day.

According to a handout, Consultant Master Planning Mr David gave a detailed briefing on Lahore Master Plan-2050. Economic development, regional strategy and other issues were also discussed. Senior Minister Aslam Iqbal, Provincial Advisor Aamir Saeed Raan, former principal secretary GM Sikandar, Vice Chairman Sheikh Imtiaz Mahmood, parliamentarians including Sadia Sohail Rana, Malik Mukhtar Ahmad, Muhammad Atif, Aamir Riaz Qureshi, Tariq Sana Bajwa, secretaries, members of the governing body, DG LDA, MD WASA and others attended the meeting.

The CM said that the investment of expatriates was being secured. No bureaucratic snafu would be allowed to disturb them; he repeated and directed to materialise the Shahdara plan for starting the construction work.

Pervaiz Elahi said that the residential needs of the growing population would be taken into consideration in the master plan and those living in suburbs would be provided with the same facilities, as the city-dwellers, to reduce the burden in Lahore. Large-scale planting will be done to establish buffer zones; he announced and further stated that the public transport system would also be developed on modern lines. Alongside this, interchanges and flyovers would be constructed to ease movement.

Meanwhile, Pervaiz Elahi said that Pakistan is facing the challenge of poverty alleviation along with other challenges.

In his message, the CM stated that the corona and floods have increased poverty. Let us redouble our efforts in the fight against poverty and build a society that is not only poverty-free but also empowers the needy, he added. He said poverty affects the entire society; he noted and added that sustainable livelihoods, business opportunities and access to productive resources must be improved to reduce poverty at the grassroots.

The CM mentioned that the Punjab Ehsaas Ration Program is a historic initiative to eradicate poverty. Under this program, ghee, flour, pulses and oil were provided to eight million deserving families at 40 percent cheaper. The focus of my initiatives is the welfare of the poor; he maintained and added that rapid industrialization could help reduce poverty by providing more employment opportunities. Addressing poverty is indispensable for the elimination of fanaticism and everyone should play a role in this regard, the CM concluded.

The chief minister also chaired a meeting at his office in which Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid presented an inquiry report about Nishtar Hospital Multan incident. Former federal minister Moonis Elahi, IG police, ACS (Home), Special Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department and others were also present.

In light of the inquiry report, the CM directed to suspend three Nishtar Hospital doctors, as many employees, and two SHOs over negligence. On his direction, the head of the anatomy department Prof. Dr Maryam Ashraf and demonstrators Dr Abdul Wahab and Dr Seerat Abbas, Umar Farooq SHO of PS Shah Rukn-e-Aalam Colony and Saeed Sial SHO PS Seetal Mari, hospital employees namely Ghulam Abbas, Muhammad Sajjad Nasir and Abdul Rauf have been suspended and removed from their posts.

The CM has also directed that action under PEEDA Act should also be taken against the negligent officials as such a treatment with corpses is unacceptable. The more this incident is condemned the less it would be as the Islamic teachings about the burial of dead bodies is obvious. An inhuman act has been committed by throwing dead bodies on the rooftop and disrespect to corpses is intolerable, he further said.