Daily Times

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that the government would announce a special package for the farmers “very soon” as a sub-committee of the cabinet was formulating proposals on the subject.

The PM, in a meeting with the members of National Assembly from southern Punjab, Dir and Swat, said the previous governments ignored southern Punjab region and discriminated against the people in provision of education, health and employment opportunities.

The meeting, which focused on South Punjab Secretariat and farmers’ special package, was attended by Special Assistant to PM on Political Affairs Malik Amir Dogar and MNAs Aurangzeb Khan Khichi and Nur Muhammad Khan Bhabha.

The prime minister said that the purpose of establishing South Punjab Secretariat was to give special focus on development of southern Punjab districts. Aurangzeb Khichi put forward a proposal for establishment of a cadet college in Vehari. During the meeting with MNAs Salim Rehman and Bashir Khan, the PM was briefed on the provision of employment opportunities to the locals during the construction of dams in Dir. Moreover, the prime minister was also apprised of public issues and efforts for their resolution, besides progress on education and health projects in Swat.

MNA Salim Rehman briefed the prime minister on the promotion of tourism in Swat, which was also casting positive impacts on people’s lives.

Last year, in August, Prime Minister Imran Khan had decided to provide maximum benefit of crops to the farmers by increasing support prices for wheat producers.