PA speaker says former government vandalised Punjab

CM says misplaced priorities of the past have badly affected the people

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Speaker Chuadhry Pervaiz Elahi has said Punjab was vandalised by the previous government and the ‘credit’ of bankrupting the province goes to the former rulers.

The PA speaker expressed these views during a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at the assembly chamber on Wednesday. Different matters of mutual interest including the adoption of steps for the promotion of good governance came under discussion.

He regretted that welfare projects of his tenure were put on hold due to personal grudges. The general public has suffered due to the delay in different welfare projects. The people have taken their revenge from the past rulers through the power of their vote.

The chief minister said the basic facilities were being enhanced to provide necessary relief to the people. “The people have already rejected the elements engaged in negative politics through the power of their votes in the general elections. The time to befool the people with empty slogans has gone and the only the politics of continuous work will prevail now,” he said.

“Misplaced priorities of the past have badly affected the people. Public service is the real essence of the democracy,” the chief minister added.

Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said the present democratic era was a period of the people and merit and good governance will reign supreme instead of personal likes and dislikes.

“Our direction and commitment are on the right track. Assembly members are my team and their problems will be solved on priority basis,” Buzdar said. “Unique and unprecedented work will be done for the betterment of the people which was not done by the others in the past.”

The CM said Pakistan has started moving towards the journey of change and the dream of Prime Minister Imran Khan about making a new Pakistan would be fulfilled at any cost. “Every human being will live in a respectable manner in the new Pakistan and the people will be provided justice and other facilities at their doorsteps.”

He explained that the new local bodies system would give new dimensions to the concept of public service. “The local bodies system is being established on new lines by devolving the power to the genuine representatives of the people at the grassroots. The imbalance of authority in the incumbent system has ruined the local bodies system. Therefore, PTI government is going to introduce such a local bodies system which will provide relief to the common man,” the chief minister concluded.