CM Buzdar orders action against land grabbers in Rawalpindi

Holds meeting with MPAs from Pindi division, assures of speeding up development works

RAWALPINDI: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has ordered Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa and City Police Officer Muhammad Faisal Rana to launch a crackdown against land grabbers illegally occupying billions of rupees worth of state land.

During a meeting held in Lahore with MPAs from Rawalpindi division and the police and administration officers, CM Buzdar ordered action against government officers and political leaders responsible for encroachment.

He appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Revenue in Punjab Assembly Adnan Chaudhry as focal person for the anti-encroachment drive.

The Rawalpindi district administration presented a report stating that people with strong political connections have illegally occupied 41 properties and erected buildings too.

CM Buzdar ordered action against land revenue officials (patwaries) who issue fake lease againt bribes. He said that political appointments of patwaries should end. People in power use patwaries to capture state land.

He said that 115 new arazi centres would be made functional till December under land record management information system as people were facing problems due to the dearth of such centres. The government is, therefore, increasing the number of arazi centres so that people could be facilitated near to their homes, he added.

Improving service delivery

Talking to the MPAs in the committee room of Punjab Assembly, the chief minister issued on-the-spot instructions to the authorities concerned for the solution of problems faced by the people and said that the PTI government had adopted a holistic approach to solving public problems at the district level.

The MPAs apprised the CM about problems, development schemes and public welfare initiatives of their constituencies.

“We will provide maximum facilities to the people at their doorsteps and the standard of healthcare and educational facilities in Rawalpindi division will be further improved,” CM Buzdar said.

The chief minister took strict notice of a complaint about extorting money by a government official in Dina tehsil of Jhelum and directed to take legal action against him.

He also directed to initiate crackdown against those engaged in posting fake videos on social media sites. It is the responsibility of the state to stop the projection of wrong information through fake and concocted videos. The DPO and the Deputy Commissioner should ensure action against those engaged in such activities, he said.

Health and education

The meeting decided to change the district officers and deputy district officers of education department in the whole of the province who had completed their posting tenure.

The chief minister accorded approval to recruit daily wage employees in health councils on an emergency basis. He also directed to take necessary steps for the construction of Dadhocha Dam and informed that small dams would be constructed in Pothohar range for the provision of clean drinking water.

He directed to upgrade health facilities on a priority basis in Talagang and Lawa areas and asked the health secretary to review the ground situation and take necessary steps for improving healthcare facilities by visiting these areas. Provision of better healthcare facilities in government hospitals is our priority and trauma centre of Gujjar Khan Tehsil will be activated besides solving the building problem of Sarwar Shaheed Degree College Gujjar Khan, he said.

The chief minister directed that legal action be initiated against the housing schemes launched without NOC and DG Rawalpindi Development Authority should report by taking necessary action against such illegal projects.

Usman Buzdar directed to hold inquiry of police torture on boys in Rawalpindi and directed that report be submitted to his office till evening by taking action against the police officials.

He said that eight billion rupees had been allocated for the provision of clean drinking water in Rawalpindi division and added that steps were also being made to improve the police system. The police will have to come up to the public expectations, he added.

He said that funds had been allocated in the budget for the repair of roads in Rawalpindi division. Punjab Public-Private Partnership Authority will be constituted soon androids' construction and other schemes will be started through this authority, he added.

The chief minister directed that immediate steps be taken to fulfil the shortage of doctors and paramedical staff in health centres and added that repair and construction of roads would be done in Kotli Sattian and Kalar Syedan to promote tourism-related activities there. Similarly, the establishment of a burn centre in Rawalpindi will be studied and hospital and college will be established in Kahuta and Kalar Syedan, he added.

The meeting also pondered over the proposal of setting up basic health units at the level of every union council.

Provincial Ministers Raja Basharat, Yasir Hamayun, Malik Muhammad Anwar, Hafiz Ammar Yasir, Rashid Hafeez, Chief Whip in Punjab Assembly Syed Abbas Ali Shah, Chief Secretary, ACS,SMBR, concerned administrative secretaries, commissioner, and RPO Rawalpindi division and DCs and DPOs of Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Attock, and Chakwal were also present on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2019.