LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar inaugurated the Clean & Green Pakistan campaign at Hazoori Bagh on Saturday. The Punjab chief minister planted a sampling, cleaned the ground with a broom and washed his hands with soap. After the Punjab CM, the chief secretary, former cricketer Inzamamul Haq and schoolchildren planted saplings together. Special prayers for the success of the campaign were also offered on the occasion. The CM talked to scouts at Hazoori Bagh, shook hands with them and advised them to make this campaign a success. Talking to media on the occasion, Sardar Usman Buzdar said the Clean & Green Pakistan campaign is a national movement and we should all work together to make this campaign successful. “This campaign will be made successful in Punjab at any cost and every department will take part in it wholeheartedly as a clean and green Pakistan is our destination. There is a Hadith of the holy Prophet (PBUH) that cleanliness constitutes half of the faith. Over 40,000 children die every year for not following the principles of good health. We want to create awareness in the nation about the importance of cleanliness to reduce this death rate,” Usman Buzdar said. He said the target of planting Rs 500 million plants in Punjab will be achieved as competitions will be organised for this purpose and prizes will be distributed at tehsil level for showing good performance. Answering a question from a media person, Buzdar said land worth Rs 55 billion has been retrieved from land grabbers and this operation will continue without any discrimination. “A land bank will be formed to utilise this retrieved land and directions for this purpose have been issued. We will make the best utilisation of this land and will also plant trees on it,” Buzdar said, adding that the appointment of inspector general police was made after the issuance of the schedule for by-elections and transfer was also done in the same way. Ensuring law and order during by-elections is our responsibility and for this purpose we have implemented Section 144. Nobody will be allowed to take law in their hands. To another question, Buzdar said no directions have been received from the court about Model Town incident and whatever direction is given by the court, it will be implemented. He said boards of development authorities have not been completed so far due to which work is halted, adding that he has given directions to complete the boards at the earliest and development authorities will decide budgets and other matters after the completion of boards. To another question, he said he is a constitutional chief minister and he is using his powers as per the Constitution as the role of every office is decided through it. To a question, he said the decision about brick kilns is being reviewed to control smog. To yet another question, he said a comprehensive plan is being devised to promote cultural activities in the province and he has issued directions in this regard already. Separately, Buzdar held a meeting with a delegation of lawyers of the Multan High Court Bar Association who called on him under its president Khalid Ashraf Khan. Talking to the delegation, Buzdar said the legal fraternity has a leading role in the dispensation of justice and will have to play an active role in giving justice to the common man. He said the name of our party is the Tehreek-i-Insaf and we have resolved to ensure supremacy of justice. He said he was a lawyer himself and will resolve problems of lawyers as well. “Alternate proposals for the judicial complex in Multan will be reviewed. Lawyers will be given facilities in new Pakistan. We are starting the project of Nishtar Hospital and health facilities of cardiology will also be increased,” he said. The delegation of lawyers said on the occasion that we are lucky that you are the CM of Punjab and are listening to problems of lawyers and taking personal interest in them. The additional chief secretary and the advocate general of Punjab were also present on the occasion. Separately, a high-level meeting chaired by Buzdar on Saturday, reviewed security arrangements for by-elections to be held today (Sunday). Speaking on the occasion, the CM said that effective measures have been taken to ensure elections are conducted in a peaceful environment. Buzdar said the Election Commission of Pakistan’s code of conduct will be ensured at any cost and there will be full ban on display of arms. Published in Daily Times, October 14th 2018.