LAHORE: Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has plans afoot to personally meet elected legislators and bring about “change” in the province in true sense as he was instructed by Prime Minister Imran Khan at a meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday.

While Mr Buzdar will be celebrating Eidul Azha in Lahore, he has communicated that he would begin personal meetings with legislators from D.G. Khan and his hometown Taunsa Sharif to have suggestions and employ collective wisdom to begin development work in the backward areas in southern Punjab. Afterwards, the chief minister would also be visiting every district to review the performance of public sector departments at the grassroots.

Explaining prime minister’s vision, Mr Buzdar told senior civil bureaucracy to be on their toes to activate state institutions and ensure law and order in a sustained manner to protect lives and properties of people. “Though the threat level has come down, the law-enforcement agencies should stay vigilant,” he added.

As the meeting discussed issues related to hides collection during Eid days, the chief minister asserted that only registered organisations should collect hides and no banned organisation be allowed to do so.

Mr Buzdar expressed his commitment that the archaic police system would be reformed according to the vision of the prime minister.

Promising that rule of law would be implemented in its true sense, the chief minister even went on to say that he would like to stop on traffic signals on roads. However, as the senior bureaucracy explained that it would not be possible in the wake of security threats, he directed that he would only allow essential security for himself. He also directed stopping the scourge of one-wheeling with an iron hand.

Reiterating that the PTI would strictly be focusing on austerity measures by cutting down the government expenditure, he assured that people would soon notice the pleasant change in government’s mindset towards people of this province.

Mr Buzdar directed that the local governments should be activated at grassroots level besides solid waste management companies to ensure complete cleanliness by disposing of the waste of sacrificial animals during Eid.

“Best cleanliness arrangements should be made across the province,” he said and made it clear that strict action would be taken, if people would face any difficulty due to presence of animals’ remains around.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2018