Daily Times

LAHORE: Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif presided over a meeting of the provincial cabinet on Tuesday to approve a number of draft laws and projects.

The cabinet approved the launch of Safe City Project in Kasur along with its start in Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib districts.

In the first phase, Kasur Safe City Project will be completed. The Safe City Projects in Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib will be started in the second phase. The meeting also approved the allotment of state-land to landless people of Cholistan under Chief Minister’s Cholistan Package and this allotment of the state-land will be extendable.

The drafts of Punjab Women Development Policy, 2017 and Punjab Animal Health Act, 2017 were approved along with approval of the step for declaring negative and positive areas for cement sector in the Punjab. The meeting approved a draft of first mineral policy, 2018 of the Punjab. The Punjab Cabinet also approved the charters for the establishment of University of Sialkot and University of Narowal.

Similarly, amendments in Punjab Drugs Rules, 2007 were approved as well. During the meeting, the performance of DG Punjab Forensic Science Agency and his team was commended by Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and the Punjab Cabinet for matching the DNA test to identify the offender involved in the molestation of Asma in Mardan. It also lauded the efforts of cabinet committee on law and order for maintaining peace in the province.

Addressing the meeting, the chief minister expressed the satisfaction that Punjab Forensic Science Agency had resolved the mystery of cases of Zainab and Asma who were daughters of the whole nation; adding that it had been made possible due to infinite blessings of Almighty Allah and the untiring efforts of the whole team. The CM also congratulated the Punjab Forensic Science Agency and Cabinet Committee on Law and Order for making important headways in both the cases. He said that whole nation was deeply saddened over the cruelty meted out with the innocent girls and Punjab Forensic Science Agency achieved success due to holding of the investigations in a scientific manner. He said the Punjab government should immediately start Safe City Project in Kasur and the scope of this project will be expanded to Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib. “Time waits for none and therefore, we all will have to perform our duties amicably,” he added. He said that state-land would be given to the eligible landless people in Cholistan in the first phase for agricultural purposes and this land will be extendable.

The chief minister said that Punjab Women Development Policy, 2017 would be announced on the occasion of International Women’s Day. He said that Punjab government had tirelessly worked in the livestock sector and important changes had been introduced through a revolutionary programme. He said that Punjab was rich in mineral resources. “During the past dictatorships, the then Punjab governments robbed the mineral resources of Chiniot. Our government fought this case for many years and saved the resources from plunder. By the grace of Almighty Allah, the first phase with regard to mineral resources of Chiniot has been successfully completed and work on second phase has been started,” he said.

He said that efforts of law minister, the chief secretary, the Planning and Development chairman, the secretary and the Mines secretary were praiseworthy. “The Mines Department has worked in a wonderful way and set a glorious example. Such glorious examples encourage others. No industry, including the cement plants, could be set up in negative area. The area of Salt Mines was devastated by permitting to set up cement plants there. In future, no cement industry could be set up in negative areas,” he said.

Published in Daily Times, February 7^th 2018.