Bilateral ties: UK to help with safe cities project, says Shahbaz

The British high commissioner, team of London police call on Shahbaz Sharif

LAHORE: The safe cities project will be implemented with the assistance of Great Britain, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Sunday. He was talking to a delegation of the London Metropolitan Police and British High Commissioner Philip Barton who separately called on him.

“The government will benefit from the London Metropolitan Police’s expertise for modernising the policing system in the Punjab. The government wants to restore the confidence of the people in Punjab police,” he said. The chief minister said that reform of the police system would lower the crime rate.

“Members of the London Metropolitan Police delegation should evolve a roadmap at the earliest in consultation with senior authorities of the Punjab government. Technical assistance of London Metropolitan Police will be welcomed for ensuring security of cities using the latest technology,” he said.

The chief minister said that he would personally monitor the safe cities project and the reforms programme in police.

Members of London Metropolitan Police Service delegation said that they were ready to extend assistance for reforms in the police system and for the safe cities project.

Earlier, the CM discussed matters of mutual interest, promotion of bilateral relations and cooperation in several sectors with the British high commissioner.

Barton congratulated the CM on the success of his recent visit to Britain.

He said that the British cooperation in education, health, skill development and security sectors was highly appreciable. “My recent visit to Britain was very successful. Useful meetings were held with British ministers and senior authorities for the promotion of cooperation in education, health, security, infrastructure and other sectors,” he said.

He said that his delegation was given an extraordinary welcome during the visit for which he was grateful to the British government. The chief minister said that his visit to Britain would open new avenues of cooperation between the Punjab government and the British government.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th,  2015.