LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Thursday he did not trust the announcement made by the federal Cabinet that there would be uniform loadshedding in all the provinces and termed the same another ploy of the PPP to hoodwink the people of Punjab.
Talking to the media, he said the federal government had thrice gone back on its promise of uniform loadshedding in all the provinces, and it had been meting out a discriminatory treatment to Punjab, pushing the province into worst economic and social crisis.
The chief minister said within the next three to four days, the truth behind the latest announcement of the federal government would be revealed to the people. Shahbaz pledged that such false promises and announcements would not shake his determination, and he would not leave his tent office until the federal government took concrete and practical steps to rid the people of Punjab of the scourge of loadshedding.
While hearing complaints of citizens at his Tent Office on Thursday, the chief minister said provision of equitable justice at the doorsteps of the citizens was a must for the establishment of a peaceful society. He called on police officers to ensure protection of life, property and honour of the citizens, besides serving them with commitment.
Besides entertaining and taking action on various complaints for over one hour, Shahbaz also reviewed the pace of implementation on the directives issued earlier to the police in different cases and inquired from the complainants in this regard.
The chief minister said emoluments of policemen and lower judiciary had been increased with a view to enabling them to provide justice to the citizens with complete peace of mind. He said equitable justice improved the society as well as restored trust of the people in the police.
The chief minister stressed that the police was responsible for providing justice to the aggrieved without any discrimination. “A society with different standards for the poor and the rich is doomed to destruction,” he remarked. Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan and senior police officers were also present on the occasion.
KOREAN AMBASSADOR: Korean Ambassador to Pakistan HE Choong Joo Choi called on Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday to exchange views on the matters of mutual interest, including cooperation in the fields of agriculture, energy and transport.
The chief minister informed the visiting ambassador about the wide scope of investment in Punjab, inviting Koreans companies to invest in the aforementioned sectors.
He said Punjab could overcome its energy crisis with Korean cooperation. Shahbaz informed that Punjab government was setting up projects in industrial estates through public-private partnership, to generate energy through coal, and the Korean investors could help in this regard.
The Korean ambassador praised the measures adopted by Shahbaz Sharif in different sectors in Punjab, and assured that Korea would extend further cooperation in different sectors for the uplift of the province.
DELEGATION: A delegation of notables of Alipur, led by Makhdoom Abdullah Shah Bokhari, called on Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday and announced to join the PML-N.
The chief minister welcomed the new entrants to the party and said Pakistan was passing through a critical phase. “However, the crisis facing the country will be overcome under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif, and it will be put on the road to progress and prosperity,” he said.
Shahbaz issued instructions for immediate repair of the link roads of Alipur and said he would soon visit the area to personally review development projects there.
The delegation comprised former MPA Qaim Ali Shamsi, former Alipur Town Committee Chairman Chaudhry Ghulam Hussain Arshad and Ghullu Baradari chief Muhammad Ali Ghullu. MPAs Makhdoom Haroon Shah Bokhari and Basit Shah Bokhari were also present on the occasion.