Daily Times

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Monday said that the opposition’s narrative had flopped and now people had no interest in the defeated leadership.

Usman Buzdar said in his statement that corruption was at peak during the tenure of former governments. Record loans were taken in past two terms of ten years and the money was not used for the welfare of people, he said.

The Punjab CM stressed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is taking the country in right direction as its governance is based on merit. He stressed that his party never gave priority to personal interests and the entire focus is on the motherland’s progress and prosperity.

Sardar Usman Buzdar affirmed that PTI government is the most transparent in Pakistan’s history. The elements afraid of change are peddling useless propaganda against the incumbent regime, he concluded.

Meanwhile, provincial ministers Syed Hussain Jehanian Gardezi, Asad Khokhar, Musarat Cheema MPA, Jamshaid Cheema, former caretaker chief minister Mian Afzal Hayat, former MPA Shaukat Mehmood Basra and others held meetings with Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office here on Monday and discussed matters of mutual interest.

Talking to them, the chief minister said the government is serving the masses with full commitment and hard work. He regretted the past governments compounded the public problems and avoided to meet even the basic needs of the people. On the other hand, he said that many new examples of austerity have been set in the province and added that the government will take every step for the benefit of the masses. The incumbent government is doing such public welfare steps which the past rulers had failed to do even in years. He said that Pakistan is moving towards development and added that this journey of progress will continue as the government is fully committed to bringing ease and betterment in the lives of the people.

Separately, a representative delegation of All Pakistan Mines & Minerals Association led by its President Mir Behroz Baloch called on Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office here on Monday. Talking on the occasion, the chief minister said that Pakistan is enriched with numerous mineral resources and there is a lot of potential in the mineral sector of the Punjab province. It is the need of the hour to utilize the mineral resources for the overall betterment of the country, he added. The chief minister said that mineral resources will be utilized for public welfare and added that this would develop the mineral sector along with creating job opportunities. Various reforms have been introduced by the government to promote the mineral sector on modern lines, he added. He observed that the environmental impact of local coal’s utilization should also be monitored as smog and pollution have emerged as a major challenge.

The government has taken different steps to overcome smog and environmental pollution and the brick-kilns are being transferred to zigzag technology, he said. The alternate model proposed by the All Pakistan Mines & Minerals Association for brick-kilns will be examined as well, he assured. Meanwhile, a composite policy has been devised for leasing out mines and ease of doing business policy has been adopted in the province.

The chief minister assured that necessary facilities will be provided to the mining sector, adding that a committee comprising of mines, environment, industries and forests departments’ officials will submit recommendations for the solution of problems being faced by the mining sector. The decision would be made in the light of feasible recommendations to move forward in this regard, he assured. The delegation apprised the chief minister about the problems being faced by the mining industry and the chief minister pledged to solve their genuine problems on a priority basis.

The delegation was consisted of Chairman Lakhra Coal Field Sindh Mir Abdul Samad, Haji Zar Nawaz Khan, Pir Bakhsh Rajan, Shakeel Ahmad Khan, Pervaiz Laeeq, Fateh Shah Arif, Noor Badeeni, Sheikh Aziz, Sheikh Inam, Haji Rahat, Amjad Khan Jagwal and others. Provincial secretaries of mines, environment and forests departments were also present on this occasion.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar directed to investigate the incident of fire in Camp Jail Lahore. He sought a report from ACS (Home) within 24 hours directing that reasons of fire should be identified through a comprehensive investigation. Buzdar also called the Punjab cabinet meeting on January 7 (today) at his office to review the 19-points agenda.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar also condoled over the death of the son of Deputy Chairman Senate Saleem Mandviwalla. In a condolence message, he extended sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed soul in eternal peace.