ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was aiming to turn the country into a true welfare state and improving the lot of the poor, Pakistan was set to change for good. “Allah Almighty has blessed us with abundant natural and mineral resources. Unfortunately, no effort was made in the past to utilize these resources for the country’s development,” he said during a meeting with PTI Members of National Assembly (MNAs) from Dera Ghazi Khan Division. Special Assistant to PM on Political Affairs Naeem-ul-Haq and Chief Whip in the National Assembly Malik Amir Dogar were also present in the meeting held here at the PM Office. The prime minister said as people of southern Punjab posed full confidence in the vision of PTI, the present government was determined to turn that area into a developed one. “Insha Allah South Punjab will become a developed region,” he reiterated. As the meeting reviewed progress on the administrative autonomy of the area, the prime minister reiterated his resolve for the completion of his roadmap for South Punjab. The MNAs said the country was heading towards progress and prosperity under the sincere and honest leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. They said the vision given by the prime minister for removing the backwardness of southern Punjab and putting it on the path of progress and prosperity was never presented by any government in the past for which they were very thankful to him. They apprised the prime minister of the problems being faced by the people of their constituencies, development of forests and agriculture as well as the welfare and development projects in the area. For immediate resolution of developmental and public-related issues in the constituencies of MNAs from southern Punjab, the meeting decided to make the Public Affairs Wing at the PM Office functional under a senior officer, which would remain constantly in touch with the provinces. It was also decided during the meeting that committees of MNAs would be constituted at division level which would ensure the resolution of public issues at local level in cooperation with the provincial government and in consultation with the regional leadership. The MNAs who met the prime minister included Shireen Mazari, Zartaj Gul Wazir, Shabbir Ali Qureshi, Makhdoom Basit Bukhari, Amir Talal Gopang, Abdul Majeed Khan Niazi, Niaz Ahmad Jhakar, Khawaja Sheeraz Mehmood, Amjad Farooq Khan Khosa, SardarYar Muhammad Khan Leghari, SardarJafar Khan Leghari, Sardar Nasrullah Khan Darishak and Sardar Riaz Mahmood Khan Mazari. Separately talking to Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, the prime minister said the government fully believed in freedom of expression and the critical role of an independent, vibrant and responsible media towards socioeconomic development of the country. He reiterated that the government would facilitate media in every possible manner towards discharge of its professional obligations. The minister briefed the prime minister about matters pertaining to the information ministry and the reforms being carried out in state media organizations, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation and Pakistan Television Corporation, to make them efficient and effective. The prime minister while reposing full confidence in the leadership of information ministry desired that it should play a leading role in all matters related to media. He said the government would provide every possible support and resources in projecting Pakistan’s soft image abroad as well as highlighting government’s agenda of reforms and change before the public. Published in Daily Times, December 19th2018.