Punjab govt aims at forming world's largest volunteer force to help IDPs
Vice-chancellors from public sector universities in Punjab met at the Government College University Lahore and announced that the universities would donate one-day salaries to the Chief Minister's Fund in order to help IDPs.
The meeting also decided to contact renowned sportsmen, poets, writers and intellectuals associated with the universities and request them to donate their belongings for auction. The money raised from the auction will be spent on the rehabilitation of the displaced persons.
It was decided that the sports board will spearhead all sports-related activities and will also launch a website to coordinate with designated desks of all the universities. Mashhood told the meeting that a documentary made in Bannu will be shown in all cinemas before film screenings. He stated that a meeting with cinema owners will also be called to discuss this.
It was also determined that a committee of VCs will be formed and every university will nominate its representative to coordinate with the volunteer force.
While briefing reporters after the meeting, Mashhood said that IDPs had been forced out of their homes because of terrorists. He added that a team of volunteers comprising of university and school students would arrange different activities to support and generate funds for them.
In order to raise money, national cricketers will participate in cricket matches in Punjab, the law minister stated, adding that “the fee of these matches will be little more than regular matches.”
Mashhood said that IDPs were provided with SIMs through which money would be transferred to them, adding that the Punjab government was monitoring them.
Responding to the questions about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan’s recent allegations regarding vote-rigging in the 2013 general elections, the minister said that even United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) proved that his claims were baseless and untrue.
“We don’t have an objection to him holding protests; however, his protests are badly timed,” he maintained.
He said that the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were fed up of Imran Khan but Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would not take any action that could weaken democracy. Mashhood claimed that PTI supporters are also questioning the validity of these protest.
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1726722687-0/Express-Tribune-Web-(9)1726722687-0-270x192.webp "instability hurts progress cm punjab")
@sterry: It might help if you take the blinders off. Including your burqa. Punjab under Shahbaz gives safe harbor to extremists. And terrorists. While these " Stakeholders " ravage, rape, rob, pillage, ransom, kidnap, bomb, burn, target kill, murder, blow up schools, colleges universities, airports all over the country, Punjab is kept safe. by Nawaz and his brother Shahbaz striking deals with these killers. 'Leave Punjab Alone' and rest of the country is yours. Remember ..L B A....
A volunteer force of Gullu Butts. Really looking forward to it.
Mian Sb keep marching ahead. To all the PTIans shame on you for your comments. If you do not have anything constructive to say then it's better to remain silent.This is all u could come up with. I don't blame you because this is what your leader has been preaching you and thus you are practicing that.
I see no where mentioned that during meeting it was stressed upon "forming world's largest volunteer force". The irony is that PTIans will talk rubbish and always try to degrade the noble work of current ministers.
Get a life PTIans !!!
No distractions. Shahbaz needs to resign. " out of the loop" will not work. This man and his son Hamza need to resign.
@Shar I would be carefully saying PMLN cant get people out. Wait and see, the amount of people PMLN can get out may over whelm liar khan and his party. Point is that why PTI is pushing to have such case when it becomes a street fight.
@H Chaudhry: Bro....Actually...I work in Mayfair and have personally counted those apartments :). In fact flagship holdings (hassan nawaz's property company) owns many properties in prime locations of london. Seriously...they wont miss one.
By the way what is more...budget for laptops or idps? Laptop scheme should be suspended and all funds diverted to idps. Public will appreciate this more...
The fact that so many pessimists are too eager to dismiss a good initiative tells us that Shahbaz Sharif is on the ball again with good ideas. There is a reason why Punjab is stable and developing; The reason is Shahbaz Sharif!
what a bunch of whiners and cry babies we have here! If you cant appreciate a good step, its better to keep your mouth shut instead of putting your foot in your mouth by making stupid comments above.
As a nation have we lost all decency? are we this pathetic now that every thing our opponent does is bad and we find some conspiracy theory every where? really point scoring, to whom? you are for sure not giving any points. Give apartment in park lane as donation, have you personally counted those and what about yourself what have you done so far.
Truly a pathetic state of country and society. Moral turpitude at its worse.
Instead of these gimmicks, if center could ralease the funds for the refugees to the KP government in a timely manner, it would be beneficial. The center kept delaying giving 6 billion till the time Imran Khan and Khattak had to come on TV and ask about it. Please dont do any politics on this humanitarian crisis.
Punjab government should focus on helping the IDPs and not on point scoring whether the volunteer force is the world's largest or not. It is pathetic how the there are so many shallow minds in the PML-N led Punjab government.
We saw how the earlier records that Punjab govt. made turned out. This man, Shahbaz Sharif, is a take-my-photo and carry on kind of guy.
Oh dear....another world record attempt! Only interested in publicity.
Why dont they start with simply letting IDPs come to Punjab and not blocking them?
Incidentally will they invite fake Guinness Book of Records people to witness like last time?