LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday said that big fish were also being netted in the drive against gas and electricity theft while the government officials involved would also have to face punishment for their misdeeds. He said the circular debt was being repaid, a crackdown was underway against power and gas thieves and line losses were being controlled.
The CM expressed the hope that the energy crisis would be overcome with the grace of Allah, the cooperation of masses and effective measures taken by the governmentShahbaz Sharif that the Pakistan Muslim League-N had been given a historic mandate in the general elections for overcoming the energy crisis and provision of justice to the people.
The chief minister was talking to the PML-N members of national and provincial assembly belonging to Sahiwal division at the Chief Minister’s Office here. Provincial Ministers Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, Atta Muhammad Manika, Khalil Tahir Sindhu, Tanveer Aslam Malik, Chaudhry Shafique, the chief secretary, Chairman Planning & Development, secretaries and administrative and police officers of Sahiwal division were also present.
The chief minister said that there was a need to make collective efforts to honor this mandate by serving the masses selflessly. He said that there could not be two opinions about the fact that the energy crisis had left a negative impact on the national economy. Besides destroying agriculture and industrial sectors, it had also increased the problems of the common man, he added.
The former rulers, he said, had displayed criminal negligence towards the energy sector and thereby committed an unpardonable crime. That is why, he added, the masses had shattered the idols of corruption and voted for honesty and hard work in the general elections. He said that the PML-N government was taking measures on a war-footing to resolve the energy problem.
He said that cooperation of public representatives was of utmost importance in the campaign against electricity and gas theft. He said that pilferage of power and gas was also a cause of energy crisis and an indiscriminate crackdown was under way against the elements involved in electricity and gas theft in the Punjab, irrespective of their social status.
The chief minister said that he had made it clear to administrative and police officers to ignore any political affiliation or pressure in the campaign against power and gas thieves and crackdown on such criminals be continued irrespective of any consideration.
He said that the PML-N government had promised to the nation a change in the Patwari and Thana cultures and it would honour its promise at any cost and justice would be ensured to the masses.
The CM said that he, as well as every provincial minister, would have to account for his performance and those serving the people with commitment and dedication would be given due honour and respect.
He stressed upon the ministers and government officers to keep their doors open for the general public and spare no effort in resolving the problems of the people. He said that the PML-N government was working on a three-point agenda which was the solution to the energy crisis, change of Thana culture and elimination of bribery.
He said that state-of-the-art facilities had been provided at the Forensic Science Agency set up by the Punjab government for investigation of heinous crimes on scientific lines. He said that the kind of mandate given to the PML-N was received by a political party in centuries and therefore there was a need to solve the problems of the people on priority basis. He said that besides veteran politicians, the Muslim League-N also had young leadership and, therefore, no problem was too big.
He said that federal and provincial governments will have to make strenuous efforts for resolving the energy crisis and other problems being faced by the country and achieve the goal of progress and development. He said that elected representatives should make their best efforts for resolving people’s problems.
Assembly members congratulated the chief minister on the historic victory of the PML-N in general elections and informed him about the ongoing development activities and problems of their respective areas.
The CM assured the elected representatives that their problems would be resolved on priority basis as he believed that service to the people was the best form of worship.
0 comments:
Post a Comment