Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Sunday said that the people of southern Punjab were ignored and fooled in the name of development in the past, but now was the time to change the fate of underprivileged areas.
Talking to Ministers, Members of the provincial Assembly and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) officer-bearers and workers at Barthi, Dera Ghazi Khan, Buzdar said he had an eye on every development project of those areas and he himself would monitor their progress.
He said that establishment of an Institute of Cardiology in Dera Ghazi Khan would share the load of patients in the hospitals of Multan and Lahore. “Rulers in the past didn’t set up a hospital [in the area] in seven years, but we have initiated another hospital in the seventh month,” he said, and added that economic activities would be generated in areas like Taunsa after laying roads. “It will ultimately bring happiness to the people. Likewise, increasing the number of seats in all medical colleges of Punjab will facilitate students,” he said. The CM said that the government was serving the people without any vested interest, and unlike in the past, development projects were being devised after consultation with the elected members.
Meanwhile, Buzdar was elected as leader of the Buzdar tribe and a turban-tying ceremony was also held on the occasion, which was attended by thousands of people, including eminent leaders of Baloch tribes. Respectable members and seniors of the Buzdar tribe were also present on the occasion, after which he was nominated as their leader. The ceremony was also attended by famous members of tribes from Sindh, Balochistan and Kohi-e-Suleman. Mir Badshah Qaisarani from Qaisarani tribe, Iltaf Khan Jaffar from Jaffar tribe, Mir Abaas Khan Rand from Rand tribe, heads and renowned members of other Baloch tribes. Prayers were also held for the chief minister’s father, Sardar Fateh Muhammad Khan.
Meanwhile, Buzdar sought a report from the Punjab Police inspector general (IG) regarding the murder of six people over a petty issue in Rajanpur. He directed the authorities to take stern legal action against the culprits. The CM directed that criminals should be arrested at the earliest and families of those who passed away in this fatal incident should be provided with justice.