LODHRAN/MULTAN: Former PTI secretary general Jahangir Khan Tareen says he is unhappy over delay in the establishment of South Punjab Secretariat.

“I suggested Multan for the establishment of the secretariat of south Punjab,” he said at the inauguration of a Sui gas project in Lodhran on Friday.

Tareen said he was disappointed over delay in the South Punjab Secretariat project. He said he considered Multan the best location for such a facility.

He admitted there were divergent opinions (within the PTI) on the location of the secretariat. “We should work together for the cause of the people of this region,” he added.

He said the chief minister should call a meeting and decide about the suitable place for the proposed secretariat.

PML-N MPA questions project opening by disqualified person

He appreciated the work of Shah Mahmood Qureshi as a foreign minister.

While inaugurating Rs190 million Sui gas project, he announced many projects including Lodhran Public School upgrade and a modern science and computer laboratory at a government girls’ high school.

Meanwhile, PML-N MPA Siddique Khan Baloch objected to the opening of the project by Tareen and questioned which law allowed a disqualified person to inaugurate a government project. He also accused Tareen of “supporting mafia” in Lodhran.

Tareen also faced protest by a group of people who demanded justice for a teacher who was recently injured in a knife attack by the son of a PTI worker. They alleged that police had registered a case but were not arresting the suspects.

Abdullah, son of PTI worker Javed Thakur, knifed Nadeem Arif and his student a few days ago. Arif is still admitted to the Bahawal Victoria Hospital.

Tareen held a dialogue with the protesters and assured them that police would take action against the suspects.

SUGAR PRICE: The former PTI leader said the prices of sugar in the country were not increased despite high inflation.

He told journalists after attending a meeting to discuss the cotton situation on a monthly basis at the Central Cotton Research Institute that US President Donald Trump was mediating over the Kashmir issue and Shah Mahmood Qureshi was performing well as a foreign minister.

He said criticism was the right of the opposition.

He said uplift of the agriculture sector was the top priority of the government.

“The agriculture sector of the country was ruined during the last 10 years. Cotton is the most important crop and we are working with the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association, the Pakistan Ginners Association and experts for the betterment of cotton crop,” he said.

He said the prices of pesticides were increased because of surge in dollar value. He said research had always been ignored in the country.

The government was making all possible efforts to give relief to the masses, said Tareen.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2019