‘Punjab govt to follow ECP orders’

The caretaker cabinet of Punjab pledged on Saturday to ensure transparent, fair, independent and peaceful elections.

Presiding over the first provincial cabinet meeting, Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi emphasised that the basic responsibility of the caretaker government was to hold transparent and fair elections. The government would ensure holding of the general elections in a transparent and fair manner in the light of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) directions, he added.

He also expressed his desire to undertake public welfare work that could provide relief to the people.

The cabinet members, following the example of the caretaker CM, announced that they would not take salary and use official residences.

The caretaker cabinet approved the allocation of Rs1 billion to provide financial assistance of rs3.5 million each to the families of police martyrs.

According to an official announcement, the families of officials who had laid down their lives during the past one and a half years had not been provided financial assistance.

It was decided that the departmental rules would be eased to induct children of martyrs into the police, including relaxation in height and chest measurements. Monthly financial assistance for the widows of police personnel was enhanced Rs25,000 from Rs2,500.

Then cabinet decided that the inspector general and other senior police officers would hold open kutcheries for promptly redressing public grievances. The caretaker CM called for planning to provide maximum relief to the people during Ramazan. Preparation of the Ramazan package should be started immediately, he added.

He directed all ministers to visit other cities to review availability of subsidised flour in the markets. He ordered an indiscriminate crackdown against land grabbers and the use of narcotics in the educational institutions.

Approval was granted during the meeting to reconstitute the cabinet standing committees for finance and development, legal affairs, privatisation and law and order.

The caretaker cabinet accorded formal approval for the appointment of Dr Usman Anwar as the Inspector General of Police.

The cabinet was given a briefing on the law and order situation in the province and a crackdown against criminal elements.

It was also given a briefing about the wheat reserves and needs in the province.

It was apprised that the Punjab government had 1.48 metric tonnes of wheat available, while 250,000 metric tonnes was being procured from the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO). A 10kg wheat bag is available for Rs648 and flour mills are being provided 26,000 tonnes of wheat daily.

The chief secretary briefed the cabinet about government affairs, duties and performance of departments, administrative structure and rules of business.

Caretaker Provincial Ministers Doctor Javed Akram, SM Tanvir, Ibrahim Murad, Bilal Afzal, Jamal Nasir, Mansoor Qadir, Syed Azfar Ali Nasir and Amir Mir, Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar and other officials concerned attended the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 29^th, 2023.