Punjab Cabinet approves withdrawal

MUHAMMAD SALEEM

LAHORE: Punjab Cabinet, which met here Tuesday with Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar in the chair unanimously, accorded approval to withdraw proposed sales tax on inter-city AC buses.

The CM directed to make an amendment in the Punjab Finance Bill for this purpose. “This would extend real relief to the people and the Punjab government will take many more steps for proving relief to the people in the future as well,” he said, adding: “I am grateful to the cabinet for extending support during a difficult economic situation.”

The Punjab cabinet also gave approval to MoU about joint financial obligations between the federation and the provinces. Ex-post facto approval of posting of Capt. Arif Nawaz (retd) as IG Police Punjab was accorded as well.

Provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, Chief Secretary, IG Police, administrative secretaries, and others attended the meeting.

Moreover, the CM Usman Buzdar attended the budget session in Punjab Assembly on Tuesday. He also met with assembly members in his chamber and issued directions for the solution of their problems.

Talking with assembly members of Faisalabad Division, the CM announced starting a new program for improving sewerage and cleanliness system, provision of clean drinking water and other basic facilities of life with a cost of billions of rupees. “Safe City Project will also be started in Faisalabad through a public-private partnership mode,” he added.

Usman Buzdar said that funds have also been allocated for the provision of missing facilities in the educational institutions of Faisalabad. The healthcare and educational facilities will be made better to facilitate the people, he added.

The CM directed the divisional commissioner and deputy commissioner Faisalabad to inspect hospitals and educational institutions for personally monitoring the on ground situation and adoption of steps for further betterment. He said that water filtration plants will be installed in Faisalabad division under Aab-e- Pak Authority. The Ministry of Railways has given approval to the renovation of Railway Station Jhang while sub-campus of Agricultural University in Toba Tek Singh will be upgraded as well, he added.

Sardar Usman took strict notice of assembly members’ complaints against some corrupt officers and directed to forward the case to the ACE. The services of Rescue 1122 will be immediately started in tehsils where its buildings are completed, he added.

The CM took notice of assembly members’ complaints about non-posting of MS General Hospital Faisalabad for the last eight months and directed that MS should be posted at the earliest.

He said that Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology will be expanded and trauma centers will be established in far-flung tehsils. He directed that Jhang and TT Singh will also be included in Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme and also directed that secretary transport should take necessary measures to solve the problem of Jhang bus stand. He said that a program has been devised to fill the shortage of specialist doctors and advertisement has been given by the Punjab government for the recruitment of two thousand doctors.

On the demand of assembly members, a proposal was discussed to allow the ad-hoc doctors to issue medico-legal reports and the CM directed to take steps after studying this proposal in detail.

Provincial ministers Ch. Zaheer-ud-Din, Ashifa Riaz, Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmad, Ajmal Cheema, Taimoor Khan Bhatti, Mehr Muhammad Aslam, chief whip in Punjab Assembly Syed Abbas Ali Shah, chief secretary, ACS, ACS (Home), IG Police, chairman P&D, commissioner and RPO Faisalabad division, DCs and DPOs of Faisalabad, TT Singh, Jhang and Chiniot districts, besides secretaries of concerned departments, attended the meeting.