LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has directed the irrigation department to expedite the campaign against water theft, a handout says.

Until now, action has been taken on the 2,995 incidents of water theft and 1,188 FIRs have been registered against the people involved in water theft, while 381 people have been arrested on allegations of the canal water theft.

The CM has directed the administration at division and district levels to make the campaign against water theft a success. He said committees be activated at the tehsil level to monitor canal water and report regarding action against [water] theft should be submitted to the Chief Minister Office.

In a statement, the chief minister said former rulers had done nothing for the people. “The alliance of opposition parties is only aimed at protecting the looted wealth of the nation and for this purpose they are doing politics of personal interests. The opposition has no agenda. All corrupt elements are just worried about how to protect their looted wealth,” he said.

Pakistan would not have been facing such a huge burden of loans had corruption not been done by the former rulers, he said and added that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government started a campaign against the ‘corrupt mafia.’

Buzdar said Pakistan would be made free of corruption under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He said the PTI government was making efforts for welfare and progress of the commoners. “The entire nation is supporting our mission. The government is working on the policy to support the poor segments of society.”

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2019