LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said the government is taking practical measures to improve people’s living standards.

Reforms are being introduced in the public departments and institutions according to the modern demands and these initiatives will yield far-reaching and positive results, he said. He said Punjab is being changed and will emerge as an exemplary province in this journey of change. “The culture of spending taxpayers’ money on personal luxuries has been eliminated. Former rulers spent national resources on personal projection,” he said.

The public offices, the chief minister said, are now adopting the culture of austerity. Under this campaign, expenses of CM Office have been reduced by 60 percent, he said. He said the PTI government has laid down the foundation of a corruption-free and justice-for-all society in the province.

Expenses of CM Office cut by 60pc

He said that mega corruption scandals had surfaced during the previous regimes. It is the pride of the PTI government that not a single scandal of corruption is on its credit neither it will be, he said. Corruption will be eliminated from Pakistan under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said.

INDIAN BARBARISM IN KASHMIR CONDEMNED

The chief ministers of Punjab and Balochistan strongly condemned the barbarism of the Indian armed forces and the anti-Muslim law of citizenship introduced by the Indian government, and expressed complete solidarity with Kashmiri people.

Buzdar said that Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and his Balochistan counterpart Jam Kamal Khan at a meeting here on Sunday rejected illegal, unconstitutional and undemocratic tactics of the Modi Sarkar. He said that Kashmir and Pakistan are conjoined twins and no one can isolate Kashmir from Pakistan. He said that fascist Modi has dug a pit for himself by bringing up the controversial law of citizenship.

Jam Kamal Khan said that Kashmiris are not alone in their struggle and Pakistanis stand by them. He said, “We will continue to play a positive role for peace and unity among the provinces.” Senator Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, Home Minister of Balochistan Mir Zia Lango, Education Minister Muhammad Bakhsh Lehri, Revenue Minister Saleem Khosa and others were also part of the delegation. Punjab Provincial Minister Fayaz-ul-Hassan Chohan was also present at the meeting.

According to a handout, matters of mutual interest, cooperation between Punjab and Balochistan in different sectors and steps taken for inter-provincial harmony came under discussion during the meeting.

Buzdar talked to the delegation in Balochi language. Both the chief ministers reiterated their resolve to serve people with new spirit in New Year. They agreed to counter all problems and remove all hurdles in the way of public service. “Those who are hatching conspiracies failed in the past and will meet the same fate in future,” he said.

Buzdar said those criticising the government are in fact afraid of progress of Pakistan and prosperity of its people.

Punjab government will extend all-out cooperation in the development of Baluchistan and prosperity of Balochi people, assured Mr Buzdar.

He said he cherished the progress and prosperity of Balochi people in the same manner that he cherished the progress and development of people of Punjab. He said the development of Pakistan is linked with the development of Baluchistan. He further maintained the special quota has been fixed for the Balochi students in the education institutions of Punjab besides providing stipends them for higher education. He further disclosed that the Punjab government will construct a cardiac hospital in Quetta at a cost of Rs2 billion and this hospital will be a gift from Punjab government for the Balochi people. He said that Communication links between Punjab and Baluchistan will be further improved. He said that Punjab will do whatever it can for serving the Balochi brethren and will not step down. He said that restoration works of Mir Chakar-e-Azam Rind Shrine in Okara is being speedily carried out and funds have been released on priority basis for this purpose. He said that our joy and grief are common. He said Baluchistan was neglected in the past but PTI government is determined for the progress and prosperity of Baluchistan. “We are working jointly for the development of new Pakistan and will keep doing so in future as well. The common man will enjoy the same facilities in Pakistan which were earlier available only to the elite class of the country. Work has been started on the project on constructing dams for storing the water in the tribal areas of Rajanpur and Dera Ghazi Khan,” he said. He said that role of Baluchistan is of great importance in new Pakistan.