LAHORE: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar in their ‘Anti-corruption day’ messages said corruption had weakened Pakistan and termed the corrupt country’s enemies, pledging the PTI government won’t budge an inch from its principled stand against such elements.

The governor said corruption was the root cause of all problems faced by the country, including economic constraints, price-hike, unemployment and poverty. He also urged religious and political parties and other segments of society to play their role in elimination of corruption.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had ensured independence of institutions, including the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), for ‘transparent and indiscriminate’ accountability.

The chief minister said those involved in corruption not only usurped the rights of public but also committed treason. He said corruption caused unrest and disappointment in society. It was PTI government’s mission to fully eradicate corruption, he added.

“By maintaining transparency in government affairs, eliminating corruption and adopting policy of better service delivery [the PTI] has improved image of the country at international level,” Buzdar said.

FIEDMC: The chief minister has said Allama Iqbal Industrial City (AIIC), Faisalabad, under the CPEC, will prove to be a game-changer, expediting the process of industrialisation in Punjab.

He was talking to FIEDMC chairman Mian Kashif Ashfaq, who called on him at Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Sunday.

Mr Ashfaq briefed the chief minister on pace of progress in setting up preferential economic zone and arrangements being made for the inauguration for the AIIC.

The chief minister welcomed the interest shown by foreign investors in the AIIC, adding that the Punjab government had provided a conducive environment for investment in the province.

He said all possible steps would be taken to provide security to the investors.

He said construction of the road should be started at the earliest in order to link AIIC with Sahianwala Interchange.

Mr Ashfaq said AIIC would be the first preferential economic zone under the CPEC. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was scheduled to inaugurate AIIC Project on December 26.

He said over 25 Chinese companies had signed agreements for making investments in the industrial city. He said more Chinese and other foreign companies had also shown interest for making investments in the project.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2019