The 10th passing-out parade of 424 women police officials was held at Police Training College, Chung on Wednesday with Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar as the chief guest. A total of 316 of the trained officials are from Punjab police while 108 others belong to Punjab Highway Patrol. A smartly turned-out contingent of the graduating police officials also presented the salute to the Punjab CM who congratulated them and prayed for their success in their profession. In his address, the CM said that Punjab government is following the policy of providing equal opportunities of progress and employment to womenfolk in all public sector departments including the police. “It is satisfying that a large number of women police officials are already serving in different cities including the metropolis of Lahore,” he said. “We shall provide better job opportunities to women in police in future as well,” he maintained. He expressed satisfaction that Pakistani women are very talented and are enjoying a position of respect and honour in different fields. “The graduating police officials have also proved their mettle by exhibiting different professional skills and I am of the opinion that they will perform their duties of protecting the life and property of people in the best of manner. The role of women police officials is very important for improving the impression of the police department in the eyes of the public,” he said, adding that women officials should proactively perform to provide justice to the hapless victims as there is no better virtue than dispensation of justice to the needy and the oppressed victims of the society. He expressed his satisfaction over women fully proving their capabilities and skills as station house officers in Punjab police. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government has also posted two women as district police officers for the first time and they have performed well to show that their selection was justified, he added. The CM said that public opinion about police was not very positive and added that we have to reform the police and a change has to be introduced in the police system. “I am convinced that change will have to be made in police like other sectors. The basic thing is to change the attitude and a friendly impression will be created if attention is given to change the behaviour of the police. Punjab police has to emerge as a friend of the people so that the people may not feel any fear towards them. I am pleased that the trend of joining an ostensible challenging department like police is in vogue,” the CM said and also distributed prizes among the best performing police officials. Additional Inspector General Azhar Hameed Khokhar and Commandant Tariq Chohan also addressed the ceremony. Separately, a high-level meeting was held at CM Office with Sardar Usman Buzdar in chair. It took a detailed review of different proposals with regard to provincial budget and the annual development programme. The meeting decided that Punjab government will present remaining eight months budget on Tuesday. Addressing the meeting, the CM said that the first budget of the PTI government should fully depict change and added that unrealistic development targets will not be fixed now. “Rather, our development programme would be in accordance with the needs of the people. Special attention will be given to the development of southern Punjab and policies will be formulated to benefit the common people,” he said adding that the upcoming budget will also redress the wrong policies of the past because the previous government started schemes for their personal projection rather than giving attention to public welfare. He disclosed that wrong schemes of the past will be re-evaluated and unnecessary schemes will be discontinued. The money saved from such schemes will be spent on public welfare and new example will be set by promoting a culture of austerity and simplicity, he concluded. Finance minister Hashim Jawan Bakht, finance secretary and high officials were also present in the meeting. Separately, Usman Buzdar also said that PTI government inherited the overburdened economy. “Regrettably, the past government destroyed national institutions because of its incompetence. Due to the wrong policies of the previous government, problems of the people were compounded and public interest was badly ignored,” he said this while talking to PTI Members of National as well as Provincial Assembly from different districts who called on him at his office. The CM said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is compelled to make difficult decisions to improve economic conditions and these decisions will become the foundation of a bright future of the country. Published in Daily Times, October 11th 2018.