Provincial cabinet throws weight behind Buzdar

A day after the opposition parties teamed up against the government, members of the provincial cabinet threw their weight behind Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar by unanimously approving a resolution expressing confidence in his leadership.

Punjab Law Minister Basharat Raja presented the resolution in the 33rd session of the Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday, which stated that members of the provincial cabinet “express their full confidence over the leadership of Chief Minister Buzdar”.

Responding to the opposition’s alliance, the resolution stated that development would continue under the leadership of chief minister.

The meeting also highlighted that Buzdar has taken many steps for the development of the province. His services with regard to the development of underprivileged and deprived areas, including South Punjab, are praiseworthy in every respect, the participants said.

The cabinet members also condemned elements engaging in what they termed baseless and vicious propaganda against the chief minister and expressed their concerns over it.

Speaking on the occasion, the law minister underlined that there was no corruption allegation against the chief minister or any other cabinet member. “All the credit goes to the provincial government that no financial scam has surfaced during the past two years,” he remarked. “Targeting the chief minister with a specific agenda is deplorable and there is no justification of baseless, vicious and beyond facts allegations on social media.”

Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan also expressed confidence in the leadership of Buzdar and underscored that all provincial cabinet members were standing behind the chief minister. He also condemned propaganda against the chief minister. Housing Minister Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan said Buzdar was the chief minister of the whole team and would remain so.

Energy Minister Akhtar Malik said the whole cabinet has confidence in Buzdar’s leadership. Representing his party, PML-Q Minister Aamar Yasir also expressed confidence over CM Buzdar and said his party was standing with the CM and would continue to do so.

Speaking on the occasion, Buzdar said there was no truth in allegations hurled against him.

“Baseless allegations have been levelled against us in the past as well but our conscience is clear and we will move ahead with our agenda of development.”

Besides the resolution, the provincial cabinet also approved the issuance of notification of establishment of national parks at Kheri Murat near Fateh Jang and Pabbi near Kharian.

The meeting also decided to expand the area of Lal Suhanra National Park Bahawalpur by 162,567 acres.

The cabinet gave its nod to expand the scope of the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) to the whole of the province along with giving approval in principle to renaming it as Walled City and Heritage Area Authority Punjab.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2020.