LAHORE, July 21: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has taken note of kidnapping for ransom incidents in the province and directed the inspector general of police (IGP) to buy equipment to trace phone calls as well as take immediate action against the criminals involved in such cases, says a handout.

Mr Sharif warned high officials at a meeting on Monday incidents of kidnap for ransom would not be tolerated and that police should accept the challenge of curbing the menace. He directed the IGP to set up a special cell under his supervision to curb kidnappings. He said that the cell should comprise professional and competent police officers and submit its report to the IGP.

When the chief minister was informed that mobile phones were used for making ransom demands in such cases, he showed his surprise why police had not been provided with the machinery to trace the calls. He directed the IG to arrange training of police officials from intelligence agencies about surveillance of kidnappers.

The chief minister also directed Punjab Law Minster Rana Sanaullah to conduct a meeting of the sub-committee set up for curbing heinous crime everyday, whereas he would himself convene a high-level meeting on a weekly basis to review police performance.

The IGP informed the chief minister that in 88 per cent cases of kidnap for ransom during the last two months, 31 abductees had been got released whereas 65 kidnappers, including two women, had been arrested economic imbroglio: Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif has decided to form a committee to identify and solve the problems being faced by the economy in general and the business community in particular.

The chief minister decided to constitute the committee during a meeting with a 27-member delegation of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Headed by LCCI president Mohammad Ali Mian, the delegation comprised executive committee members and former presidents, including Mian Tajjamal Husain, Tariq Hameed, Ijaz Butt, Sheikh Mohammad Asif, Shahid Hassan Sheikh, former senor vice president Abdul Basit, former vice presidents Shahzad Ali Malik, Sheikh Mohammad Arshad.

Mian Shahbaz Sharif said the Punjab government was paying special attention to the improvement of law and order situation in the province which was a prerequisite for both the local and foreign investment.

He said the government was utilising all available resources to give boost to agriculture sector as the future lay in the agro-dollar and not in the petro-dollar. Referring to the issue of traffic mess in the provincial metropolis, he said bids for a six-storey parking plaza near Liberty Market had already been invited and work on this project would be started very soon.

He said the government was also going to introduce metered parking in posh area of the city.

Promising to visit the Lahore chamber soon, he said the government was taking all possible measures to live up to the expectations of the masses and the business community would have to pay its role in this regard.

LCCI president Mohammad Ali Mian assured the chief minister of his full cooperation for economic turnaround. He said the LCCI’s sector specific committees were ready to forward their proposals to the government for the betterment of all segments of the economy.

He said Punjab had a huge potential for religious tourism that needed to be tapped to optimum level. He said 6.6 million acre state land in Cholistan could be given to agriculturists for bringing about `green revolution’ in the province.

He said agriculture sector was in deep troubles due to acute water shortage and it had become essential for the government to come up with a solid strategy to cope with the situation which was worsening with every passing day.

The chamber had already done a lot of work on mechanised farming that could be provided to the government to expedite work on it. He said Chiniot and Kalabagh areas had plenty of Iron ore. The government could set up steel mills there.