LAHORE: The Punjab cabinet on Saturday conditionally approved the upgrade of Mianwali as a division with Mianwali and Bhakkar as its districts.

A formal notification about the creation of new division will be issued after the delimitation of union councils is completed in both the districts.

As the media reported the approval, the Election Commission of Pakistan stopped the Punjab chief secretary from issuing the notification.

The ninth cabinet meeting only hours before the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly and the provincial cabinet was presided over by Chief Minister Parvez Elahi on Saturday.

Jampur made district

It also approved district status for Jampur tehsil, currently part of Rajanpur district, and made Dajjal and Muhammadpur its new tehsils.

The meeting also granted conditional approval to make Multan Khurd a tehsil of Talagang. Jampur will be granted district status after completion of delimitation work of the union councils.

The chief minister informed the cabinet that the Punjab government had set a record to utilise development budget worth Rs273 billion in a short span of five months. He directed the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners to ensure timely completion of on-going development programmes.

Praising the PTI chief, he said: “Imran Khan is our Quaid and an honest leader.”

The cabinet approved linking of 36km long road from Mianwali to Daud Khel and 33km long Lakki Thamey Wali road with the Islamabad-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway.

A principle approval was granted to pardon the sentence of prisoners on completing Tevta courses and those involved in petty offences, recruitment of 2,500 jail warders, extension of contract of the staff members of Punjab Thalassaemia and Genetic Disorders along with the Prevention and Research Institute, release of funds to install solar panels in official residences in GOR and the Lahore High Court building.

The cabinet also approved installation of an elevator at the LHC, establishment of new courtrooms in Faisalabad, 100 per cent special allowance for the officers and staff members of the Prosecution Department and the Directorate General of Public Relations, recruitment of assistant food controllers, food inspectors, food supervisors in the Food Department, grant for the Supreme Court Bar Association and for Sheikhupura, Talagang and other bars, hiring of Punjab Safe Cities Authority MD.

Approval was also granted to formulate rules and regulations for the appointment of PirMehrAli Shah Arid Agriculture University VC.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2023