LAHORE: Caretaker chief minister Mohsin Naqvi says 50 per cent women languishing in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail face drug-pushing charges.

“During a visit to the Kot Lakhpat Jail the other day I came to know that 50 per cent women have been imprisoned due to narcotics,” he said in a talk with journalists here on Thursday.

He said the drug-peddlers were targeting the youth. “We are working hard for eradication of narcotics,” he said.

Replying to a question, Naqvi said the Punjab budget was not in deficit rather it was surplus. “A huge amount is surplus with the Punjab government. The Punjab government is spending within its available resources.”

To a question regarding curtailing the powers of the Anti-Corruption Establishment(AEC), he said the ACE was empowered to register an FIR and this power would remain so.

“The ACE will have to seek permission from the chief secretary so that exploitation of the officers cannot be done,” he said.

Naqvi visited the Khalid Butt Chowk underpass project and said that 74 per cent construction work had been completed.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2023