03 January 2004	Saturday	10 Ziqa'ad 1424

LAHORE, Jan 2: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi says the ruling party's agreement with the MMA will harbinger a new era of political and economic stability as a result of which industrialization will get a boost, creating job opportunities for the countless unemployed people.

Addressing a well-attended public meeting in Township on Friday, he congratulated the president and the MMA leadership on his own behalf and on behalf of his party, the PML-Q, for reaching an agreement, which pulled the country out of the 13-month impasse.

The meeting had been organized to launch subsidized flour scheme in the entire province for the poor. Initially, 300,000 families would be benefited by the scheme.

The chief minister, who won more parliamentary support for President Musharraf compared to his counterparts in other provinces for Thursday's trust vote, was all praise for parliament and provincial legislatures for their role in resolving the crisis. Their role, he believed, would be written in gold letters.

Pervaiz Elahi said that welfare of the poor was on the top of his priorities' list and this consideration had been kept in mind in all projects planned by his government. He said he had special sympathy for the have-nots.

The chief minister said party workers would be given jobs and special quota would be earmarked for women. He said he had set up a special cell in the CM Secretariat to redress the grievances of the poor. This cell, he said, was giving justice to everyone without any discrimination.

The chief minister made it clear that no wrong-doer would be spared, no matter how influential he might be. Mindful of the need to strengthen the party, he said for this purpose the workers would be given utmost attention. He held out an assurance that party workers would be given due importance and role in the welfare schemes.

To provide shelter to the poor, the chief minister said, the revenue department had been directed to point out the space where such people could be given five-marla plots.

He said this was the first time that a provincial government also planned to give houses to all government employees, from peon to secretary. The chief minister accepted the demand that degree colleges should be set up for boys and girls in Township.

Sewerage and water supply schemes would be launched in PP-153. Steps, he said, would also be taken to provide space for a graveyard in the area. He directed the Auqaf department to send him a summary for the purpose.

He also set up a committee to give plots in Mariam Colony to widows of army officials who sacrificed their lives for the country. The chief minister said Lahore would be given primacy in development schemes.

He will soon address a public meeting at Chowk Nakhuda. Provincial ministers Arshad Khan Lodhi, Aleem Khan, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Ms Nasim Lodhi, Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal, Special Assistant Akhtar Rasool, Lahore Nazim Mian Amir Mahmood and Town Nazim Maj Rafiq Hasrat were also present.