Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has expressed indignation over the performance of the Southern Punjab Secretariat and strongly reprimanded the authorities concerned for not resolving the public issues and delaying projects of public welfare. The CM directed the secretaries of different departments posted in the Southern Punjab Secretariat to improve their performance. On the special instructions of the Chief Minister, an important meeting of secretaries posted at Southern Punjab Secretariat was held at CM’s Office in which the Principal Secretary gave necessary instructions of Usman Buzdar to the officers concerned to improve their performance, according to a handout issued here Sunday. Usman Buzdar directed the secretaries concerned to take effective measures for resolving the people’s problems. The departments would have to perform now, inefficiency would not be tolerated at all, he warned and added that strict action would be taken against responsible on the negligence. He directed that officers posted in the Southern Punjab Secretariat should deliver and projects of public welfare should be completed within the stipulated time frame. He said that those who would fail to deliver as per the expectations of the people have no right to hold public office. The government would continue to encourage honest and efficient officers. Usman Buzdar said that he will not compromise on the standards and quality in the projects of public welfare. There would be Third Party Monitoring on every public welfare scheme. He further directed that the funds released for the development schemes should be utilized timely. He directed that officers should go out in the field to ensure transparency in development projects. Lip service would not be tolerated. He said that the PTI government by establishing a separate Secretariat in the Southern Punjab has given it a new identity. Now the people of the area will not have to come to Lahore for their work. Officers should perform their duties with determination and wholeheartedly. Secretaries of different departments of Southern Punjab including Health, Finance, Planning and Development, Local Government, Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering, Agriculture, Livestock and Dairy Development, S&GAD, Law, Communications and Works, Irrigation, Education, Forest and Additional Secretary Home from the Southern Punjab Secretariat attended the meeting. Respect of women: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that respect of women is part of our social and religious norms, and the West cannot even imagine the rights Islam has given to women. Allah Almighty has given respect to women by making her custodian of beautiful relations like mother, daughter and sister, added the CM. In his message on the World Women’s Day, the chief minister said women make around 50% of the population of Pakistan and their role for socioeconomic development of the country could not be neglected. The chief minister said that previous governments did not take any practical steps to empower women, while the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, was determined to bring women in the mainstream. Equal opportunities have been provided to women in practical life, he added. Empowering women is the mission of the PTI government and historic steps have been taken in this regard, he said and added that 187 Daycare Centres have been established throughout the province. Seven new Daycare Centres were inaugurated last year, he added. A hostel facility had been provided for the working women. New hospitals were being established for ensuring quality treatment to mother and child, the CM said. The CM maintained that more new Mother and Child care hospitals would be set up with Rs 280 million in Attock, Rajanpur, Bahawalnagar, Sialkot and Layyah. He said that work was being carried out on Mother and Child care hospital in Lahore and Mianwali. Usman Buzdar said that the government would make women of backward areas economically and socially strong, adding that women would get security, empowerment, respect and progress in new Pakistan. Pakistani women are hard working and capable and they have earned names in different sectors, he said. Now they are working side by side with men. Today we reiterate that all efforts would be made to protect the rights of women, the CM assured.