Daily Times

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has made a resolute commitment to prioritize the welfare of Punjab’s farmers by ensuring the uninterrupted supply of fertilizer.

Chairing a special meeting on the availability and need of fertilizer in the province, here on Tuesday, she warned that failure to prevent fertilizer hoarding and smuggling would not be tolerated at all.

The chief minister directed the relevant authorities to ensure effective measures to prevent hoarding and illegal transportation of fertilizers. She also emphasised on the need to adopt foolproof procedures to ensure availability of fertilizers to the farmers.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif directed to take steps for the effective digital monitoring of fertilizer supply from plant to dealer. She also decided in principle to establish special helpline for registration in Kisan Card Programme.

Earlier, it was briefed by the authorities concerned that demand and production of urea fertilizer in Punjab is about 6.5 million tonnes. About 70 percent of the country’s production of urea fertilizer is used for rabi and kharif crops in Punjab.

In the meeting, satisfaction was expressed over the trend of reduction in fertilizer rates. Recommendations for amendments to the Pesticide and Fertilizer Act were also considered in the meeting.

Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Information & Culture Minister Azma Zahid Bukhari, Agriculture Minister Syed Muhammad Ashiq Hussain, MPA Sania Ashiq and Special Assistant Rashid Nasrullah attended the meeting. Chief Secretary, Secretaries Finance, Agriculture, Industry, Principal Secretary to the CM and other relevant officers were also present.

Separately, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif met Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) from different districts, in order to discuss development needs and public issues of their respective constituencies.

The CM apprised the visiting public representatives about various government initiatives meant to ensure welfare and ease of common man. She said that food prices would come down further, because they are creating a separate system for price control and other related issues. She added whenever the PML-N comes to power, rates of food items fall down. She noted on the contrary, some people in the past used to say that they did not come to power for potatoes and onions.

The visiting MPAs paid tribute to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for reducing the prices of bread and other food items. They remarked that reduction in the prices of bread and other items in the last three months is like a record.

Maryam Nawaz Sharif also apprised that a big Kisan Card project is coming for the farmers of Punjab, saying that now farmers will be given subsidy directly. She highlighted that it has been proposed to the Federal government to reduce import duty on agricultural machinery and tractors etc.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif also briefed them that they will bring hybrid buses to the city, besides giving motor bikes to the youth. She added a loan proposal is also under consideration for building a house on a 2-4 marla plot. Moreover, they will make houses for the homeless people. Currently, they are reviewing plots in the villages for the purpose.

The CM said that other countries including China are contacting Nawaz Sharif for IT City. She directed the visiting members of the Provincial Assembly to maintain close contact with the common man. Earlier, she also listened to their suggestions and recommendations for resolving the public issues.

The visiting MPAs acknowledged that CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif is doing a lot for the poor. Her continuous contact with parliamentarians is a welcome tradition. They said that Chief Minister is doing the best work for the welfare of people by taking innovative steps.

The visiting MPAs included Hina Parvez Butt, Marghub Ahmed, Kashif Padhar, Muhammad Hasan Riaz, Naeem Safdar Ansari, Ghazali Salim Butt, Zahid Akram, Tariq Subhani, Muhammad Salman Naeem, Qasim Nadeem, former members of Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Shehbaz and Bilal Zulfikar Ali Khokhar.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has congratulated the entire nation on the occasion of Youm-e-Takbeer, saying that Youm-e-Takbeer is a day of pride not only for the Pakistani nation but also for the entire Muslim Ummah.

In her message on the historic day of Youm-e-Takbeer, she added, “Salutations are due to every member of the team who carried out the great mission of defending the motherland. I salute Muhammad Nawaz Sharif who made Pakistan first nuclear power of the Islamic world.”

The CM said that Nawaz Sharif was neither bought nor bent. “I am proud to be daughter of such a great person” she said. The nuclear program is a symbol of Pakistan’s strong defense, she mentioned. Pakistani nation is grateful to Nawaz Sharif for his bold decisions. She said, “We made Pakistan a nuclear power for strong defense, now it is our mission to make it economically invincible too.” She added that under the leadership of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, now Pakistan will raise its head in the world.

“Today, we have to reiterate our commitment of unity, solidarity, hard work, patience and tolerance” she concluded.