Daily Times

Minister for Labour Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shaukat Yousafzai said Friday that the provincial government would provide death and marriage grants to coal miners.

Replying to various questions during question-hour in the KP assembly proceeding which was presided over by Deputy Speaker Mahmood Jan, the provincial minister said PTI-led government was taking a number of initiatives for welfare of the poor segment of society and would pay death and marriage grants to labourers working on coal mines to mitigate their financial woes. Answering another question, he said that the government was taking earnest measures to tackle environmental challenges and had launched the Billion Tree project in this regard.

However, he added it was a responsibility of each individual to play his part in making the country green and clean.

Similarly, he added that there was a complete ban on use of polythene shopping bags and in this regard authorities concerned had also been directed to take stringent steps for implementation of the decision.

The Members of the Provincial Assembly underlined the need for making effective legislation against honour killings, Swara custom besides child abuse and harassment in society.

In response, Shaukat Yousafzai said that there was a need to make collective efforts to weed out such inappropriate customs from society, adding that women had great place in Islam and they were given great respect.

Shaukat Yousafzai said the government was striving to put an end to the Sawara custom and suggested that a committee may be constituted in this regard.

The deputy speaker also expressed displeasure over absence of officials of the health department from the session and directed for action against them.

During the session, provision of clean drinking water in North Waziristan and merged tribal districts and appointment of locals on project posts also came under discussion.

Call attention notices and privileges motions were also presented during the proceedings which was finally adjourned by the Deputy Speaker till 11 a.m. on Monday.