LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has said the notifications of March 29 and 30 about the south Punjab secretariat have been cancelled adding that the possibility of human error and clerical mistake cannot be ignored.
In the light of the investigation of the ministerial committee, the concerned secretary has been made OSD. The establishment of the south Punjab secretariat is part of the PTI agenda and the party has contested elections under this agenda to ameliorate the lot of the common man living in remote areas. A 17 per cent budget was appropriated for south Punjab in the past but the PTI government has ring-fenced the whopping 33 per cent budget for south Punjab.
While addressing the presser at his office on Friday about the south Punjab secretariat, the CM announced the March 30 notification about the rules of business of district has also been cancelled and a ministerial committee led by the finance minister has been directed to devise new rules of business as the government is committed to giving the best and efficient administration to south Punjab.
He said the ministerial committee will submit its recommendations about expanding the number of already existing 16 departments to all the provincial departments in south Punjab. It will also recommend making the south Punjab secretariat more efficient and active while laying the foundation stone of the south Punjab secretariat is being contemplated as well.
Similarly, the CM disclosed that the bill about reserving jobs-quota for south Punjab will be presented before the cabinet and further disclosed that he has decided to spend a full day in Multan and another in Bahawalpur every month. Similarly, all the ministers will also go to Multan and Bahawalpur every month for two days to deal with matters about the people, he said.
The provincial cabinet meeting was held in Bahawalpur for the first time and the cabinet meeting will also be held in Multan soon and this will continue, he added. The south Punjab secretariat will be made fully functional and no hurdles will be allowed to arise in this regard, the CM emphasized adding that the committee will give its recommendations in seven days.
Replying to questions, the CM said he belongs to the backward area of south Punjab and now the whole province was being led to move forward. Additional Chief Secretary (South Punjab), Additional IG and officers of 16 departments were posted and legal action was taken and notifications were withdrawn upon confusion and ambiguity about south Punjab, he maintained. I want to make it crystal clear that the south Punjab secretariat will not be rolled back. It will, rather, be moved forward and further progress will be made in consultation with the ministerial committee, he announced.
Replying to a question, the CM said the line departments are actively working on the arrangements relating to Ramazan-ul-Mubarak and the different items will be provided to the people according to the rates of 2018 in 313 sahulat bazaars. The CM advised the people to follow corona SOPs as pressure is increasing on the health system. Meanwhile, the CM said the federal government was approached to meet the shortage of oxygen. He asked the media to lend a helping hand in sensitizing the people and announced to continue serving the masses while the conspirators will be busy fulfilling their agenda.
The CM stated concerning the cabinet that room for improvement is always there. Replying to a question about the allies, the CM said we hear pieces of advice and act upon them too. Matters are good with the allies and we have no problem, he affirmed. The CM stated the PTI vote bank has been rapidly increased in by-elections adding that the directions of the Supreme Court will be followed while the element of success or defeat is part of the election. Similarly, postings and transfers are a routine matter and strict action will be taken on the complaint of extortion of money by police during corona lockdown, he added.
Federal Minister Khusro Bakhtiar thanked the chief minister for taking immediate action over the reservations arising in the wake of notification in the people of south Punjab. The people of south Punjab are awoken for their rights while PTI is a public representative party from Karachi to Khyber. The PTI submitted a resolution in the assembly, last year, for south Punjab province and the opposition is invited to come forward to jointly resolve the issues faced by the nation, he added. To another question, he answered the chief minister has written a letter to the Speaker to invite opposition for electoral reforms.
Provincial Ministers Raja Basharat, Hashim Jawan Bakht, Hussain Jahanian Gardezi, Mohsin Leghari, Sardar Husnain Bahadur Dareshak, Dr Muhammad Akhtar Malik, Shoukat Lalika, SACM Firdous Ashiq Awan, Tahir Bashir Cheema and others were also present.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar also chaired an important meeting at his office on Friday to hold a detailed review of proposals to empower the south Punjab secretariat.
Provincial ministers belonging to south Punjab presented proposals about the south Punjab secretariat and the CM appreciated the proposals submitted to empower the south Punjab secretariat.
The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Raja Basharat, Hashim Jawan Bakht, Mohsin Leghari, Husnain Bahadur Dareshak. Shoukat Lalika, Hussain Jahanian Gardezi, Akhtar Malik, SACM Firdous Ashiq Awan, Tahir Bashir Cheema, Chief Secretary, Chairman P and D and ACS (South Punjab) and others.