RAWALPINDI, Sept 10: The Punjab governor, Lt-Gen Khalid Maqbool (retired), has said the government is fully determined to ensure impartiality and transparency in the coming elections and now, it is upto the people to elect patriotic and honest persons so that the democratic system and economy could be strengthened in the country.

Speaking at a public meeting at Jhelum, the governor announced Rs20 million for the development of Jhelum, Sohawa and Pind Daden Khan, where the road and water supply projects would be carried out.

Last year, the governor had also announced Rs20 million for Jhelum city, where the road projects and water supply schemes had been carried out.

Meanwhile, the governor was given briefing about the expansion of a road from civil club to degree college for which Rs19.99 million would be spent.

On this occasion, the people called upon the governor for the construction of Benhal bridge so that the people of Tehsil Pind Daden Khan could be linked to Tehsil Jhelum. The governor assured them that he would inaugurate the construction work on this project in October.

Similarly, the governor asked the district Nazim to conduct a survey of the springs in Tehsil Pind Daden Khan from where the people could be provided drinking water.

Referring to the demand of the people of Jhelum for the establishment of a university, the governor said the residents should take initiative while pursuing the people living abroad to find a vice-chancellor to run a good private university in Jhelum. He said the government had already given charter to seven universities in the Punjab. He said that survey was also being conducted to establish universities in Gujrat, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad.

He assured the people of Dina that he would soon inaugurate sui gas supply for this town for which the people of Dina have already deposited the money. The governor said during current fiscal, the Punjab government had provided gas facility to five districts and eight tehsils.

The governor distributed the appointment orders among teachers, paramedical staff and male and female police constables and handed over the documents of proprietary rights to the residents of a Kutcha Abadi, Suleman Paris, in Jhelum besides delivering Zakat cheques among the deserving people.

The district Nazim told the governor that this locality would also be provided gas. The governor said during one year period, Rs2 billion and 840 million had been provided out of the Zakat funds to the people in the Punjab province for their rehabilitation so that they could establish their own businesses.

The district Nazim, Chaudhry Farrukh Altaf, also spoke to the gathering and said the district government system had provided opportunity to the people living in remote areas like Jhelum to complete the development programmes according to their wishes.

He said more than 200 schemes in Jhelum district had been completed under ‘Khushhal Pakistan’ programme and hoped that if this programme continued, all the areas of the district would get benefit out of this programme.—PR