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RAWALPINDI, Feb 15: The Punjab government will shortly introduce a bill in the provincial assembly against under-age smoking, Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi said here on Saturday.
Speaking at the oath-taking ceremony of the Rawalpindi Press Club, Mr Elahi said strict punishments would be introduced under the legislation against under-age smoking. These punishments would primarily focus on cigarette-sellers. He said study commissioned by the Punjab government in this regard showed that it was these children, who later got hooked on drugs.
About another legislation being taken up by the government, the chief minister said punishment in case of car-lifting was being increased, as the present penalty in this crime was too less for effectively checking this problem. He regretted that the problem had assumed serious dimensions.
He said the Punjab government was committed to changing the Patwari culture and would be working towards this objective through computerization of revenue records.
He said the government was planning changes in the jail manual with special focus on the improvement of the condition of women and children inmates.
About other changes in the law and order sector, Mr Elahi said traffic police were being re-organized and the investigation side of the police department was being separated.
On the issue of local governments, he said the Punjab government would work for strengthening the system of local governments.
He said: “We believe in this system and during the general elections, our party had secured votes on the basis of claims that we would be working for the continuity of the new system.”
He said the needs of the big cities of the province were being assessed for incorporation in the mega-projects being launched by the provincial government.
Mr Elahi said the performance of the departments would be adjudged on the basis of the number of bills they introduced in the assembly for the betterment of the common man, he added.
He said the government in addition to providing free education up to Matric planned to give special incentives for improvement of literacy among girls. He said girls would be given scholarships and free textbooks to motivate them to go to school. He said the government was bringing changes in the transport policy, and those transporters, who ran separate transport for women and school-going girls, would be given special concessions.
The chief minister announced the setting up of a foundation for the welfare of the journalists with an endowment fund of Rs2.5 million. He promised another donation of Rs2.5 million in a couple of months. He also announced an annual grant of Rs1 million for Rawalpindi Press Club.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said the government wanted diplomatic and political solution to the Iraq crisis and was trying its best to avert war.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Ahmed said Pakistan had got to take a number of factors into consideration before arriving at any decision.
He said: “We are fully aware that there is great resentment against the United States, but the situation calls for pragmatism.”
He said the Iraq crisis would be an important milestone in the diplomatic history of the country. The minister said Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali would be visiting China after March 20, when the new administration took up the reigns of the government. He said the premier would also be visiting the United States in the last week of March. He parried the question regarding postponement of the Iran visit.
To a question, he said an Al Qaeda man was arrested from Quetta, however, the government did not declare the arrest because of certain compulsions.
