LAHORE, Nov 30: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said on Sunday the government would ensure punishment to the family members who allegedly tortured Afsheen Mussarat to death in Kabirwala a few days ago.

Presiding over a meeting here, he said on the instructions of President Gen Pervez Musharraf the Punjab government was closely monitoring the entire investigations into the death of the girl.

The murder was a tragic incident and was being probed into from different angles by senior police officials.

The chief minister said violation of human rights was highly deplorable and stringent measures were being adopted to check such events in future.

He said a number of steps were being taken to safeguard the rights of women and children as it “is our national, religious and moral responsibility.”

Pervaiz Elahi said an effective system had been evolved to gather information about the incidents of domestic violence and torture in various districts to curb such happenings.

Stern legal action would be taken against those found involved in domestic violence. The Punjab government would vigorously pursue such cases in courts for ensuring punishment to the culprits.

Meanwhile, the chief minister effected rapproachment between PML-Q office holders, the Lahore Nazim and a minister during a meeting here on Sunday.

Pervaiz Elahi also reviewed development projects of Lahore and the administrative affairs of the city chapter of the PML-Q during the meeting attended by Arshad Khan Lodhi, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Abdul Aleem Khan, Kamil Ali Agha and all Lahore MPAs belonging to the ruling party.

The chief minister asked the groups led by Akhtar Rasool, Minister Aslam Iqbal and Lahore Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood to remove their differences and strengthen the party in the provincial metropolis.

Mian Amer extended his full cooperation to the chief minister and the opposing group, and said 3,300 councillors and Nazims of Lahore were already implementing the government’s reforms agenda, and development schemes besides strengthening the party.

The Nazim sought more funds for the district government after extending his cooperation. Accepting the demand the chief minister said the government would provide funds to them through its own kitty.

During the meeting MPAs from the city’s peripheries complained about lack of development activities by the district government in the villages they represented. They said previously development activities in these villages used to be carried out by the defunct zila council but the district government was now totally ignoring them.

In response, the chief minister asked Mian Amer to also start development activities in these villages, promising to provide special funds for the purpose.

Pervaiz Elahi said the PML reorganization process at ward, union council, tehsil and district levels was continuing. He asked the participants to include people from all walks of life into the party fold.

The chief minister said workers, farmers and poor people were expecting a lot from the PML and therefore all the policies of the government revolved around the public interest.

He asked the ministers, Nazims, MPAs and PML office holders to concertedly redress public complaints.

The chief minister said the monitoring system initiated in Ramazan to control prices of essential items of daily use would continue.