Governance reform: Sub-secretariat for south Punjab in the works, says governor

Rajwana says PML-N’s parliamentarians will meet this week to discuss the matter

MULTAN:

Governor Rafiq Rajwana has said a sub-secretariat will soon be set up in south Punjab to address grievances of the people.

He was talking to newsmen at the residence of Rana Mehmoodul Hasan on a visit to congratulate him on his victory in PP-196 by-election. He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had called a meeting of its members in the provincial assembly, the National Assembly and the Senate from south Punjab. He said the meeting would decide on where the sub-secretariat in south Punjab should be established. He said there were two matters to decide on; whether there should be two sub-secretariats in Bahawalpur and Multan, or just one in one of these divisions.



The governor said the chief minister was focusing on health and education projects in south Punjab. He said the biggest hospital in the Punjab would be set up in Multan. He said plans for its construction would be announced soon.

He said the government had been unfairly accused of ignoring this region. He said a solar park had been set up in Bahawalpur, a Turkish hospital in Muzafargarh, a Metro Bus project in Multan besides the Danish schools across south Punjab. He said new universities were also opened.

He said Multan would soon host international cricket. “I am looking forward to welcoming international cricket teams in the city,” he said.

On Monday, the governor addressed members of Multan High Court Bar Association. He said improving law education was the need of the hour.

“Some law colleges have not been holding proper classes. They just offer admissions only,” he said.

Rajwana said re-verification of law degrees would help in proper assessment of the problems of law education. Rajwana said he would form a consortium of former vice chancellors of to improve education standards.

The governor said he would help lawyers ensure that some state land was earmarked for a lawyers’ housing colony.

He said if he failed to do so, a quota for lawyers could be introduced in housing colonies developed by the Multan Development Authority.

He said problems of lawyers related to security, parking and transport would be resolved shortly.

Rajwana said the government was working hard for uplift of the country’s economy.

The governor said $46 billion Chinese investment for the Pak-China economic corridor would create hundreds of thousands of jobs. Earlier, High Court Bar Association president Syed Muhammad Ali Gilani, in his welcome address, had demanded offices of services tribunal, banking courts and a board of revenue office in Multan.

Rajwana also presented a cheque of Rs3 million to the bar president and promised further financial assistance.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2015.