LAHORE: Two separate handouts issued on Wednesday regarding the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government’s 100-day plan compounded the confusion prevailing in Punjab as to who is in charge of the provincial government – senior minister Aleem Khan or Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

According to one handout, Mr Khan chaired a meeting of provincial ministers and administrative secretaries of 14 departments at the chief minister’s secretariat on Wednesday where he announced that the 100-day plan will be presented to the prime minister on Nov 7 after approval from the chief minister.

The chief minister’s office issued a separate handout, saying that Mr Buzdar also chaired a meeting of ministers and administrative secretaries and directed them to expedite work on the 100-day agenda. He asked the departments concerned to achieve their targets for a prosperous and developed Pakistan.

Mr Buzdar reviewed progress on the 100-day agenda and directed to expedite work on it. He said creating job opportunities for the youth was also a part of the agenda. “Punjab will lead in the implementation on the PTI’s 100-day agenda,” he added.

The chief minister also announced that an executive council had been set up on the provincial level to work on creating the south Punjab province.

Senior minister Aleem Khan, provincial ministers, the chief secretary, the planning and development chairman and administrative secretaries attended the meeting.

The senior minister, as per the other handout, during the meeting he apparently chaired said that the Punjab government departments were actively working for two months to finalise the 100-day plan that he claimed would represent the people’s wishes. The plan would set the direction for the government and bring about a visible change in the lives of the poor segments of society. “The Punjab government is trying to devise the best strategy with limited resources available as the previous government’s corruption rendered the country’s kitty empty,” he claimed.

Mr Khan further said that the people’s lives could be improved by strengthening the education, health, agriculture and livestock departments. Education, health, industries and other ministers gave briefings about their departments’ 100-day plans.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2018