Daily Times

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that provision of clean drinking water to the citizens is essential for setting up a healthy society, adding that the government is implementing a mega project in this regard.

He directed that potable water project be accelerated and warned that no negligence would be tolerated in the implementation of this public welfare project.

He was presiding over a meeting to review the pace of clean drinking water project. The meeting took a number of important decisions for the speedy implementation of the project. Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said that potable water is the basic right of every citizen, adding that the government would ensure availability of clean drinking water to every citizen within a few years. He said that people could be saved from different diseases through supply of safe drinking water. “Pakistan is a poor country and it is the responsibility of the government to adopt austerity and evolve the best projects. Resources are a trust of nation and transparent utilisation of every penny of public money is being ensured,” he added.

Shahbaz said that an example of transparency and austerity has been set by saving billions of rupees in the implementation of mega projects, adding that there would be no shortage of resources for important projects like supply of potable water. He said that modern technology should be utilised for the development of the country and with the assistance of consultants, such technology should be used for ensuring uninterrupted supply of drinking water to the masses under the Saaf Pani Project.

The chief minister said that Punjab government is spending billions of rupees for the provision of basic amenities to the citizens and provision of potable water is very important in this regard. He said that work is in progress speedily on development projects and completion of these projects would not only raise the living standard of the masses but execution of energy projects would eliminate load shedding from the country and the industrial process would continue smoothly.

He also issued instructions for setting up a high-level committee to submit its recommendations within next few days for speedy implementation of Saaf Pani Project. Provincial Housing Minister Tanvir Aslam Malik, members of provincial assembly, chief secretary, concerned secretaries and senior officials attended the meeting from Civil Secretariat through video link.

Meets Chaudhry Nisar: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan met Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to discuss overall law and order situation in the country and security issues were discussed in the meeting.

The interior minister also talked to the Punjab chief minister about the making of alleged video related to MQM in Adiala Jail and said that the federal government has constituted a committee headed by the interior secretary to probe the matter and submit its report. The chief minister also took notice of the alleged video and directed Punjab home secretary to conduct an inquiry.

The meeting also decided that federal and provincial governments would announce future strategy in the light of the inquiry report regarding the alleged video.