Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed the Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) to increase revenue by Rs50 billion without affecting the common men.
Chairing a meeting with PRA new Chairman Nauman Yusuf on Saturday, the CM directed to increase resources for maximum social welfare projects. She directed the authorities to expand the scope of the PRA to 12 more districts of Punjab including Murree, Attock, Jhelum, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Mandi Bahauddin, Bahawalpur, Okara, Khanewal, Muzaffargarh, DG Khan and Toba Tek Singh.
The chief minister also directed to link Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for real-time integration of database.
Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Secretary Finance Mujahid Sher Dil and other relevant officers also attended the meeting. On the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb met the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders and Members of Parliament.
She also met former federal minister Saira Afzal Tarar, former MNA Muhammad Tufail, former Punjab MPAs Chaudhry Ashraf, Dr. Muzaffar Sheikh, party leaders Taufiq Butt, Aamir Hayat, Ms. Shehrbano, Chaudhry Shehbaz along with other party leaders, assembly members including Pir Ashraf Rasool, Rana Ishaq, Sultan Tariq Bajwa, Naveed Ashraf, Shoaib Siddiqui and Taimur Ali Khan.
The senior minister also held separate meetings with Mahmood-ul-Hassan Cheema, Saeed Akbar Khan, Rana Abdul Manan, Malik Ghulam Qasim, Aoun Jahangir. Marriyum Aurangzeb also met Hamida Wahiduddin, Rana Ijaz Ahmed Noon, Mian Muhammad Moeen Wattoo, Mansoor Azam, Mian Munir, Muhammad Sabtain Bokhari, and Gulzar Ahmed.
Matters pertaining to ongoing development projects in the relevant constituencies along with future political strategy were discussed in the meeting. The party leaders and assembly members paid tributes to CM Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif in making dedicated strives for the uplift of Punjab province, reduction of inflation along with undertaking record development projects across the province. The assembly members lauded CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif for introducing an administrative revolution in the province. The party leaders also appreciated CM Punjab’s commitment to uphold transparency, merit along with undertaking efforts to establish a corruption-free governance system in the province.
The senior minister said the CM Punjab had issued directions to resolve all legitimate and genuine issues of the party leaders and assembly members on priority basis.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has said there will be a historic session of the Punjab Assembly on minorities on August 11. Addressing a press conference at the DGPR on Saturday, she said: “Our mission is to eliminate the sense of fear, insecurity and deprivation among the minorities. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz, historic measures are being taken to ensure protection of minorities’ rights.”
The minister said a resolution would be presented in the Punjab Assembly on August 11 to mark National Minorities Day, and the services of religious minorities would be acknowledged.
Minister for Minorities Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora, speaking at the press conference, said this year’s August 11 would be a significant day in Pakistan’s history as, for the first time in Punjab’s history, the International Day of Minorities would be observed at the Punjab Assembly. On August 11, 1947, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had made it clear that people would be free to go to their places of worship. Today, the Punjab government is taking historic steps to fulfill this promise.
Azma Bukhari said CM Maryam Nawaz distributed grants among Christian community during Easter in Maryamabad and initiated the harvest festival by personally harvesting crops during Baisakhi, making history with the enactment of the Sikh Marriage Act rules.
The provincial minister said the Minority Development Fund has been increased, and grants have also seen a significant rise. In response to a question, Azma expressed the desire that the opposition should participate in constructive work rather than causing disruptions and should stand with minorities on their National Day.