Law and order: Steps being taken to control crime, says Shahbaz

Says police should perform their duties efficiently and spare no effort for protecting life and property of citizens.

LAHORE:

All possible measures are being taken for maintaining law and order in the province, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Monday. He was presiding over a meeting to review law and order.

“Police should perform their duties efficiently and spare no effort for protecting life and property of citizens. Maintenance of peace and law and order is the top priority of the government and police should perform their responsibilities in this regard with commitment and efficiency,” Shahbaz said.

He directed that special attention be paid to the security of markets and bazaars. The chief minister said that the law regarding shops and securities be strictly implemented. “An action plan should be evolved for this purpose and it should be enforced at any cost. Monitoring system for eradication of crime should be made more effective,” Shahbaz said. “Arrangements for the protection of life and property of citizens and maintenance of law and order should be reviewed on a regular basis,” he said.

The chief minister directed that strict monitoring of entry and exit points of the province should be ensured and the departments should work with effective coordination.

Provincial ministers, law makers and senior police officers attended the meeting.

CEO meets chief minister

Anwar Aleitani, the president and chief executive officer of a Saudi group associated with energy sector, met the chief minister on Monday.

Matters regarding investment in energy and other sectors were discussed in the meeting. The Saudi group expressed interest in investment in coal and solar-based power generation projects in the Punjab.

The chief minister said that energy crisis had had a negative impact on the economy as well as education, health, agriculture, industrial and other social sectors.

“The industrial and trade activities have also been affected by shortage of electricity. The government is taking effective measures for overcoming energy shortage. Work is being carried out on several power generation projects,” he said.

The chief minister said the government was providing facilities to foreign investors. “Work is being carried out speedily on solar power projects while sites have also been identified for establishing small solar projects,” he said.

Anwar Aleitani said that his group wanted to invest in the energy sector in Punjab as it was impressed with the determination and spirit of the chief minister.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2014.