LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Saturday appealed to clerics belonging to various schools of thought to provide all-out support to making the anti-polio campaign successful.

The clerics, who called on the chief minister at his office, announced their complete cooperation for the anti-polio campaign and resolved to work effectively to eliminate polio.

The chief minister said the presence of polio in Pakistan was a matter of concern and that the whole world had become polio-free, but the disease still existed in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Stressing the role of clerics in the anti-polio campaign, he said they had always played an effective role in the protection of social and moral values. Now, he said, children needed the clerics to make the anti-polio campaign successful and eliminate the fatal disease. A detailed meeting with the clerics will be held after Eidul Fitr, the chief minister added.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid stressed that the clerics must play their role in making the anti-polio campaign successful.

Muttahida Ulema Board Chairman Maulana Tahir Ashrafi, Badshahi Masjid khateeb Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, Jamia Masjid Minhajul Hassan Principal Dr Muhammad Hussain Akbar, Jamia Masjid Umer Bin Abdul Aziz khateeb Hafiz Zubair Ahmed Zaheer, Raghib Naeemi of Jamia Naeemia and other clerics as well as government functionaries attended the meeting.

FIRDOUS: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan called on Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and discussed political affairs and progress on payment of dues to the media.

Mr Buzdar said an alliance of opposition parties was aimed at protecting personal interests. “Opposition leaders have laid the foundation of this unnatural alliance to hide their blemishes,” he added.

Dr Awan said political orphans had no future as Pakistan was progressing under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

SCHOLARSHIPS: The chief minister distributed scholarship cheques worth Rs825,000 among 18 minority students, who called on him at his office.

The CM said the Punjab government would give scholarships worth Rs25 million to 879 students from minority communities. He said ‘Naya Pakistan’ represented new hopes and desires, and competent students would play a vital role in bringing about change. He further said the PTI government would encourage students at every level.

Minorities enjoyed equal rights in Pakistan, he said, adding that minority students were being given equal opportunities to move forward. “Competent and intelligent students guarantee a bright future for Pakistan,” he added.

Punjab Minorities Affairs Minister Ijaz Alam said giving scholarships to minority students was a praiseworthy measure of the PTI government, adding that the minority students had made huge achievements.

GOVERNOR: Governor Chaudhry Sarwar said the opposition is pursuing an agenda of chaos and disintegration, but all their malicious plans were bound to fail and they would be held accountable for every penny looted. “All those who looted national wealth are national criminals,” he said.

Speaking to a delegation of PTI leaders, led by the party’s central Punjab Information Secretary Waqas Iftikhar Butt at Governor House on Saturday, the governor said democracy without accountability led nowhere rather adds to the problems. He said difficult decisions would have to be taken to ensure constitutional order and rule of law. Those who had sacrificed for the party could not be overlooked because every worker was the party’s strength.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2019