Lawmakers propose new tehsils

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi reviewed proposals of MNAs and MPAs from Faisalabad for carving out new tehsils in they division on Wednesday.

Speaking at a meeting with the parliamentarians, he called for steps to give ownership rights to slum-dwellers and ordered the Faisalabad Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) to improve its performance and redress public grievances without delay.

The sanitation in Faisalabad and other cities should be improved, he stressed and added that the availability of funds would be ensured to complete ongoing development schemes in the division.

The CM said the Haseeb Shaheed Hospital, Samanabad General Hospital and other health projects would be completed soon along with repair and maintenance of link roads in the division.

The shortage of doctors in the Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology and Children’s Hospital will also be overcome, he added. The chief minister said priority would be given to water filtration projects and no plan to establish a girls’ college would be rejected.

The CM termed former prime minister Imran Khan indispensable for national politics and reiterated his support. He claimed that exemplary works had been done to provide relief to the common people in a short period.

The chief minister said certificates of appreciation should be given to the police officers who had ensured speedy recovery of a kidnapped girl.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan, Senior Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, parliamentarians and PTI leaders including Riaz Fatiana, Ghulam Mohammad Lali, Raza Nasrullah, Khurram Shehzad, Faizullah Kamuka, Mehboob Sultan, Ameer Sultan, Ghulam Bibi Bharwana, Farrukh Habib, Taimur Lali, Salim Bibi, Ali Afzal Sahi, Ali Akhtar, Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, Adil Parvez, Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmad, Rana Umar Farooq, Khayal Ahmad Kastro, Shakil Shahid, Waris Aziz, Latif Nazar, Saeed Ahmad Saeedi, Ashfa Riaz Fatiana, Sonia Ali Raza, Taimur Bhatti, Azam Chela, Mehr Nawaz Bharwana, Ghazanfar Abbas Shah, Asif Kathia and Shahbaz Khan attended the meeting.

Provincial secretaries, the commissioner of Faisalabad, deputy commissioners, regional police officers and other officials were also present.

A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) delegation also called on the chief minister who said on the occasion that the provincial government was striving to provide relief and facilities to the people.

The CM termed the Punjab Ehsas Ration Discount Programme a flagship initiative of Imran Khan and noted that 40 per cent cheaper items were being provided to eight million deserving families.

The beneficiaries can purchase pulses, ghee, oil and flour from registered grocery stores at lower rates; while 10% commission is also paid to the owners of the outlets, he added. He termed the programme a giant leap towards poverty alleviation and a welfare state.