April 07, 2008	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 29, 1429

LAHORE, April 6: PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, who may be the Punjab chief minister in the days to come, on Sunday constituted a number of working groups to look into functioning of the Punjab government, says a spokesman for the Planning and Development Department.

He said one such group, headed by Speaker-designate Rana Iqbal Ahmad Khan and convener Shafqat Mahmood (former senator), was already reviewing the Annual Development Programme.

He said although the Shahbaz-led government was still a matter of future, it was in the mood of calling the shots. The aforementioned working group comprises a number of Punjab Assembly members, including Chaudhry Muhammad Ayaz, Rawalpindi; Mrs Shahzadi Umerzadi, Sargodha; Mrs Nazia Raheel, Toba Tek Singh; Malik Fayyaz Ahmad Awan, Hafizabad; Haji Nasir Mahmood, Gujrat; Khwaja Salman Rafique, Lahore; Khwaja Muhammad Islam, Faisalabad; Farooq Yousaf Ghurki, Lahore; M. Javed Bhatti, Sheikhupura; Mian Yawar Zaman, Okara; Nishat Ahmad Khan Daha, Khanewal; Malik Ghulam Habib Awan, Lahore; and Sardar Dost Muhammad Khosa, Dera Ghazi Khan.

Besides, Dr Shahid Kardar, Dr Rashid Amjad (PIDE vice-chancellor) and Dr Amjad Saqib are also members of the working group.

The spokesman said the working group held two marathon sessions in which the P&D chairman and his team deliberated on various aspects of the last year’s ADP and the Medium Term Development Framework for the Punjab. Apart from this, special briefing sessions were also held on irrigation, health, mega projects such as Lahore Ring Road, Sialkot-Lahore Motorway and the proposed Lahore Mass Transit Project.

He pointed out that a particular focus was on foreign-funded projects and issues such as regional equity avoiding wastage and ostentation, and gender mainstreaming.

Interestingly, working group chairman Rana Iqbal, in keeping with Shahbaz Sharif’s penchant for austerity, invited the participating members to the Pipal House where a simple lunch was served to them, instead of having a lunch from the largess of the Punjab government. Shahbaz Sharif’s decision to convert the Chief Minister’s Secretariat into a women IT university is also seen in this perspective (austerity drive).

The working group on ADP was directed by Shahbaz to finish its work in one week and furnish him with report.

Ministers: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz will induct ministers into the provincial cabinet strictly on merit, say party sources.

A leader said on Sunday only such people would be taken in the cabinet as had been steadfast during the past eight years and their performance in the previous assembly had been excellent. Commitment with the party would be a major consideration, he said.He said the PML-N ministers in the federal cabinet had also been selected on the same criterion. —Staff Reporter