Mafia not to be tolerated: Shahbaz

OUR STAFF REPORTER
LAHORE Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has warned that activities of qabza mafia will not be tolerated and the concerned district coordination and police officers will be held accountable if such complaints are received from any district.
He was addressing Members Provincial Assembly of Gujranwala division at the Chief Ministers Secretariat here on Monday. Senior Advisor to CM Sirdar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Minister Law Rana Sanaullah Khan, Chairman Planning & Development Board, Additional Chief Secretary, secretaries of different departments and administrative officers of Gujranwala division were also present on the occasion. Elected representatives will also have to play their role for rooting out this menace from the society. The Police should ensure justice to the poor and the common man and check the activities of hooligans as no society can survive without justice, the CM said while issuing instructions for accelerating the pace of implementation of development projects. He stressed upon assembly members to ensure timely and transparent completion of development projects in their respective areas. The CM also said corruption, plunder of resources and denial of justice in police stations are pushing the country to disaster and there was a need for collective efforts to steer the country out of crises and safeguard national interests. He added that though a lot had gone wrong; however there was still time to work for national progress and development by rising above personal interests. The menace of corruption will have to be uprooted as it has weakened the foundations of the country, he said, while referring to Nandipur and Chicho Ki Malian power projects, the CM said that criminal negligence was shown to these projects of 900 megawatt power generation and the federal law ministry by pending these projects for selfish interests did a great disservice to Punjab as well as the whole country. Poor Pakistani nation is now bearing additional expenses of Rs 18 billion on these projects. Had these projects been completed on time, it would have bolstered national economy and strengthened industrial sector. Time has come to take decisions keeping in view national interests, he maintained.
Shahbaz Sharif further said the Punjab government was utilising all available resources for the rapid development of the province and timely and transparent completion of development projects was being ensured. 32,000 science teachers are being recruited to meet the shortage of science teachers in education sector as well as promote science and technology. These teachers will be recruited on merit just as recruitment of 40,000 teachers was made earlier, he said, while asking elected representative to ensure that recruitment on merit in their respective districts. He added that performance of the Tehsil Municipal Administrations in the implementation of development projects and solution of peoples problems had been extremely poor, and Secretary Local Government should submit his recommendations in this regard. He said the Secretary Irrigation should remove qabza mafia from pond areas and give a detailed briefing in this regard in the next cabinet meeting.