HAFIZABAD - Federal Works Minister Ch Liaquat Abbas Bhatti has vowed to develop the district.

Addressing a public meeting late Sunday at the Vanike Chowk, he said the Bhattis of Hafizabad led by PML-Q District President Ch Mehdi Hassan Bhatti had been striving for public betterment in the district. They had laid a network of roads and set up healthcare centres in the area, he said.
Rapping the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, he said that the Punjab government had not initiated any new project in the district and claimed that the new government had been completing the PML-Q-launched projects.
He said this was an election year and the people should prepare to defeat the so-called leaders. He said the provincial government got involved in staggering corruption.
He hoped the people would reject these so-called leaders in the upcoming elections.
Ch Mehdi Hassan Bhatti claimed that his group was strong enough to defeat the so-called champions of democracy and continue to serve the masses. He added that development works executed during his group’s tenure was unparallel in the history and that was why his brother had been chosen as federal minister.
He thanked Ch Shujaat Hussain and Pervaiz Elahi in reposing confidence in Abbas.  He expressed his confidence in the PML-Q leadership and said they would continue their support to PML-Q. The federal minister also thanked the people for giving him historic welcome on his arrival.
Outages hurting paddy sowing: The 16 hours long loadshedding in the rural areas has adversely affected plantation of paddy saplings, said Kissan Board President Amanullah Chattha here on Monday.
He called upon the government to reduce the duration of loadshedding in rural areas as well to reduce further the prices of diesel oil as its prices in the international market had gone down to great extent. He said that rice was a cash crop and government should take prompt steps to provide incentive to the growers to maximize its production to earn maximum foreign exchange.
Get ready to tackle floods, official told:  DCO Capt (r) Muhammad Asif has directed all the departments concerned to put in place all arrangements to meet any eventuality during the likely flood in River Chenab.
He was addressing a meeting attended by AC Saadia Tehreem, Pindi Bhattian AC Saleem Khalid Shaikh, ADC Sohail Ahmad Khan and officers from Rescue 1122, police, civil defence, irrigation, education, Gepco and PTCL departments
According to detail, he particularly ordered the officers of the Irrigation Department to ensure embankment (BUND) on the river protective through timely repair.
He said that five relief centres have been established in the district and all efforts should be made to evacuate the marooned villagers well in time.
DCO directed the 1122 Rescue Officers to ensure speedy training for divers and boatmen. He warned that negligence on the part of any officer in this respect would not be tolerated and violators would be dealt with sternly.