Punjab’s promises to its desert folk

CHOLISTAN: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Mian Shahbaz Sharif has assured inhabitants of Cholistan that no one can usurp their rights and lands. The CM has asked locals of the area to remain calm, adding that the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) government was committed to bringing about a revolution in the life of the Cholistani people through various uplift projects which will surely change conditions of the area and its people.

Addressing a gathering at Muttanwali, 150 km from Chiniot near Fort Abbas in Cholistan, after inaugurating the Corporate Shadbad Cholistan Livestock Farm, he said that the PML N government had been struggling to provide relief to the people and large scale development schemes in the province were part of the party’s measures to providing a better living for the people. He said that the Punjab government was fully aware of the problems being faced by the people of Cholistan and a number of development schemes had already been initiated to redress public grievances. Sharif said that Livestock Farms were being established to help people of the area. “We are working to provide financial assistance to Cholistan farmers and workers, as well as rights of ownership of the Corporate Livestock Farms which are to be given to the people through a computerised draw so no one else can benefit from the scheme,” he said.

Sharif said that initially the Punjab government set-up five Corporate Livestock Farms in Cholistan at an estimated cost of Rs400 million, adding that solar energy plants and biogas technology would be introduced in Cholistan at a larger scale for the improvement of civic conditions and agro-based economy to provide better living conditions for Cholistani people. The CM remarked that no government had ever taken serious steps for the uplift of Cholistan or paid attention to the welfare of its inhabitants but the PML-N had taken a daring step for the progress and prosperity of the region.

Sharif said that every decision for Cholistan would be taken with the consultation of the public representatives of the area. “Rest assured that no decision will be taken without consultation of the Cholistan people, your rights will be fully protected,” he said.

The CM announced a mobile hospital for Cholistan on the occasion besides a fund of Rs3 billion for the improvement of an irrigation water system to ensure smooth supply of water in Cholistan.Earlier, the CM attended a briefing in which he addressed various aspects of the project and other schemes for Cholistan. MNA Chaudhry Saood Majeed, MPA Chaudhry Mumtaz Jajja and a number of officials and public representatives were also present on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2010.