MULTAN/SAHIWAL/VEHARI: Apparently buoyant after PTI’s parliamentary party support, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Tuesday visited three districts in an effort to tell the bureaucracy in Punjab that he was there to stay and removed several officials.

The chief minister first visited Chichawatni in Sahiwal district to open wheat harvesting before his surprise visits to Vehari and Khanewal.

Talking to the media, Buzdar said: “The rumours about the change of chief minister are mere gossip. You are well aware that the PTI provincial parliamentary party has reposed trust in me.”

Read more: CM Buzdar 'not alone', a majority of Punjab Assembly has faith in him: SAPM Awan

To another question, he said the ministers failing to show performance would be relieved of their duties. In Khanewal, he suspended District Police Officer Muhammad Masoom on public complaints and sought an explanation from Deputy Commissioner Ishfaq Ahmed Chaudhry over poor cleanliness at the DC Office.

Says 22,000 panchayat councils will be formed under new LG law

He sought explanation from Commissioner Imran Sikandar for not visiting Khanewal besides suspending the district officer industries and city police station station house officer.

Expressing his displeasure over the poor condition of the Khanewal irrigation office, the chief minister sought explanation from the Irrigation EXEN and SDO. He did not spare the chief officer education and also sought explanation from him. He directed the forest secretary to submit a report over illegal cutting of trees in Abdul Hakim forest.

During vehari visit he ordered suspension of CEO (education) Ghulam Mustafa Barjees on absence from duty and Vehari Municipal Committee chief officer Hafiz Khalid Irshad on public complaints. He also ordered transfer of DEO elementary (women) Ms Misbah Rafiq.

He visited the Vehari Saddar police station and suspended SHO Imran Siddiqui on charges of negligenc. Buzdar visited the Vehari DHQ hospital and ordered an inquiry against Medical Superintendent Dr. Muhammad Fazil. .

Earlier in the day, Buzdar inaugurated wheat harvesting at village 69/12-L, Ada Kamaand, in Chichwatni by ploughing a harvester. The CM said the PTI government had introduced a new local government act in Punjab under which 22,000 Panchayat Councils would be formed.

He announced establishment of a new girls degree college, a tehsil level hospital, and construction of roads connecting Ada Kamaand to different local villages.

He said the Punjab government would start agriculture credit card scheme and the issue of canal water would be resolved. He said nine per cent more funds would be allocated for the irrigation sector in the budget.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2019