LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has announced to continue indiscriminate action against the land grabbers till every inch of the state land is not recovered from the squatters.
While giving details during a presser at his office on Wednesday, the CM said one lac and 55 thousand acres of land has been retrieved in different parts of the province having a value of Rs 450 billion. It is the largest operation in the history of the province and the task will be brought to its logical end, he indicated. During the last seven days, 12318-acre land of Rs 22.32 billion and 70 lac value has been recovered from illegal occupants in 31 districts, he said. 403 FIRs have been registered and 97 accused have also been arrested, he added.
Similarly, the CM pointed out that indiscriminate action was also underway against sugar and price-hike mafias. The PTI government is actively working to curb every sort of mafia and public interest was being fully protected under the leadership of PM Imran Khan. The land has been retrieved in Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Rawalpindi, Rajanpur, DG Khan, Multan, Narowal and other cities and the recovered state land will be utilized for public welfare purposes, he said.
The government will also recover damages from the influentials involved in illegal occupation of state lands, he continued and indicated that action is not person or party-specific but is indiscriminate that will continue. It is intolerable to occupy the state land for personal use and no political discrimination has been shown in this action, the CM stressed. Similarly, no one is politically targeted. The government wants to protect the state lands and the political affiliation of land grabbers is simply irrelevant, he appended.
The CM disclosed that a strategy has been devised to best use the recovered lands while the data bank will also be set up in the board of revenue and steps will be taken so that no one could dare to reoccupy such lands, he said. Action against the land grabbers in 31 districts has yielded positive results during the last 7 days and the operation will continue till the complete recovery of state lands in the province. The PTI government has waged a war against every sort of mafia and the damages incurred to the state kitty due to land grabbers will be compensated, he disclosed.
While replying to the questions of the media persons, the CM said the anti-corruption establishment takes action if a government employee is found involved in the occupation of state land but the government has started indiscriminate action without caring for any political affiliation. Indiscriminate action will be continued against all; whether it’s my relative or an office-bearer of the party, the CM emphasized and added that the government is active against the land grabbers while setting aside the politics and the crackdown will be continued.
To another question, the CM clarified that no ban is imposed on private transport however, a restriction is imposed on public transport to overcome the spread of coronavirus. Steps have been taken against corona and the government does not want to hold complete lockdown but the spread has to be overcome, he maintained. The businesses are not shut down but timings of bazaars and markets are reduced as the government wants the business to run while minimizing the spread of coronavirus. He clarified that the purpose of government is not to put the people behind bars but to sensitize them to wear facemasks for collective safety.
To another question, the CM said the corona vaccine was being supplied by the federal government but the Punjab government has also constituted a committee to procure this vaccine and the committee will submit final recommendations. To a question, the CM asserted that corona SOPs will be implemented in Ramadan bazaars while a collective decision will be made in consultation with NCOC about Namaz-e-Taraweeh.
Replying to a question about a cabinet reshuffle, CM maintained the space for improvement is always there and the ministers’ performance is also regularly reviewed. He made it clear that the rumours about the south Punjab secretariat are totally baseless adding that opponents are spreading disinformation in this regard. A meeting about the south Punjab secretariat is also scheduled today, he replied. “I don’t know who is perturbed over my field visits but I do know that a new era of development has been started.”
A separate district development package was being outlined, for the first time, and development schemes were being designed in consultation with public representatives. This development package will be a part of the next budget and the due share of the districts will be given to them without caring for any likeness or antipathy. He emphasized that no area will remain deprived of development as every district will be given its due share. Some naive friends falsely claimed that Punjab is in reverse gear because they could not witness the development process around them.
State lands worth Rs 450 billion has been recovered while work on 13 special economic zones is in progress, he said. Similarly, 12 new hospitals were being established after 1997 and a plan has also been devised to establish a university in every district. The people are also given a Ramadan package worth seven billion rupees along with the establishment of 313 sahulat bazaars, concluded the CM. SACM Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, IG Police, Secretary Information and DGPR were also present.
