ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will address a public meeting in Muzaffarabad on Friday against the 38-day long curfew in occupied Kashmir and to express solidarity with the Kashmiris.

In a tweet on Wednesday, the prime minister said: “I am going to do a big jalsa in Muzzafarabad on Friday, Sept 13, to send a message to the world about the continuing siege of IOJK by Indian occupation forces; & to show the Kashmiris that Pakistan stands resolutely with them.”

Meanwhile, the prime minister attended a number of meetings pertaining to governance in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar called on Prime Minister Khan amid speculation that he (CM) could be replaced over unsatisfactory performance.

Discusses local government system for Punjab, KP

According to the Prime Minister Office, the chief minister presented a report on the overall performance of the provincial government. The spokesman for the chief minister, Dr Shahbaz Gill, refuted media reports that Mr Buzdar was being replaced.

The prime minister also chaired a meeting on the local government (LG) system being introduced in KP and Punjab. The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, KP Governor Shah Farman, Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, Asad Umar and others.

Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister stressed the need for empowering LGs so that the problems of the people could be solved at village and union council level. He said that contrary to the past more funds would be given to the LGs and strict monitoring would be ensured to avoid their misuse.

Presiding over a separate meeting on special economic zones (SEZs) in KP and Punjab, Prime Minister Khan emphasised the need for providing “ease of doing business” to businessmen and industrialists.

Punjab CM Usman Buzdar and KP CM Mehmood Khan also attended the meeting.

The prime minister was informed that work on developing Allama Iqbal Industrial City in Faisalabad would be completed by the end of this year, while work of Quaid-i-Azam Apparel Park and Bahawalpur Industrial Estate would be completed by March 2020.

He was apprised that Rashakai Economic Zone would be completed by June next year. The meeting also considered a proposal regarding establishment of cottage business and resident parks in 10 districts of Punjab.

The prime minister directed the authorities concerned to establish the SEZs on a war footing.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2019