BAHAWALPUR: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif says the Punjab Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF) is aimed at bringing about an educational revolution in the country by providing scholarships to the talented and deserving students for higher education.

Speaking at a PEEF awareness programme at the Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB) here on Monday, the chief minister said the PEEF was started seven years back and its funds had reached Rs17 billion.

By the end of the year 2017, the total number of students benefitting from the PEEF would be 200,000.

The CM regretted that the elite class was getting all the benefits and privileges while the children of the poor were living without basic amenities. This, he added, was creating a gap between the rich and the poor and Pakistan could not make progress unless the gap was bridged.

Mill-affected farmers not allowed to meet Shahbaz in Jatoi

Talking about the energy crisis, Shahbaz pointed out that the government was rapidly undertaking a number of energy projects, including the Quaid-i-Azam Solar Park. He claimed the power outages would end next year.

PEEF Vice Chairman Dr Muhammad Amjad Saqib also spoke.

MUZAFFARGARH: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited the town of Kandh Shareef in Jatoi tehsil, some 70km from here, to condole with the family of the late Makhdoom Abdullah Shah Bukhari on his death.

He went to the outhouse of the late politician, met his sons, MNA Syed Basit Sultan Bukhari and provincial minister Syed Haroon Sultan Bukhari, and offered prayers for the deceased. The media was not allowed for the coverage.

As the CM was offering condolences, dozens of farmers gathered outside the outhouse of the Bukharis to meet him to complain against non-payment of their outstanding dues by the Haseeb Waqas Sugar Mills. However, the administration did not let them talk to the CM.

The farmers alleged the sugar mills had not paid their dues of the last season while the new season had started but they were still waiting.

All district administration had arrived at Kandh Shareef while all the offices were closed. The roads in the area were blocked for security.

MULTAN: The chief minister, in a meeting with the PML-N parliamentarians, said the development projects of south Punjab would be helpful to end the deprivation of the region.

“The living standards of the people will improve after the completion of these projects,” he said and added that the metro bus project would provide best, comfortable and inexpensive transport facility to the people of Multan.

Meanwhile, the chief minister called on Governor Rafique Rajwana to condole with him on the death of his nephew.

He also offered his condolence to former MNA Sheikh Tariq Rashid on the death of his mother and MPA Sultana Shaheen on the death of her nephew.

Published in Dawn December 3rd, 2016