ISLAMABAD, July 3: The Punjab government is launching Health Insurance Policy for providing health cover to all citizens.

This was stated by Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif while talking to British Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander who called on him at Punjab House here on Thursday.

He said the Punjab government was striving for provision of justice and education and health facilities to the masses without any discrimination, and desired financial and technical assistance from DFID for this purpose.

The chief minister said the Punjab government was taking revolutionary measures for the development of education sector and computers would be provided in all high schools of the province during the current financial year.

He said development resources were wasted recklessly during the tenure of the previous government and unnecessary burden was put on national exchequer by purchasing more than 800 cars worth millions of rupees.

He said bullet proof vehicle purchased for the chief minister besides more than 800 other luxury cars had been put on auction and the amount thus received would be utilised on the provision of free pick and drop service to poor and destitute children of backward and far-flung areas to schools.

He said majority of the population of the Punjab was facing poverty but no effort was made for the progress of the poor masses and their children. However, he said, the present government was striving for removing deprivations of the people.

He said these children would also be taken on tours of recreational sites on these buses during vacations so that they could join the national mainstream.

He said no society could survive or flourish without an independent judiciary therefore, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was making utmost efforts for the restoration of judges and freedom of judiciary.

Referring to his visit to Hafizabad the other day, the chief minister said had there been a free judiciary and proper judicial system, victims of gang rape would have been provided justice to a large extent.

He appreciated the projects initiated in Faisalabad with the financial and the technical assistance of DFID and expressed the hope that it would also extend all out cooperation to Punjab government in the provision of justice and uplift of education and health sectors.

British Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander lauded the priorities set by the Punjab government under the existing circumstances and said it would help remove backwardness of the people and uplift of education sector.

He assured the chief minister that the British government and DFID would extend all out financial and technical assistance to Punjab government for the execution of projects initiated for social development as well as giving a practical shape to its priorities.

He said he was impressed with the concern of the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for the progress of the people and uplift of the province, adding that he was optimistic about further development and prosperity of the province with bilateral relations and further negotiations.

British High Commissioner in Pakistan Robert Brinkley, DFID Director for Asia Division Jim Drammond, Head of DFID in Pakistan as well as Chairman Planning and Development Sami Saeed and Punjab Health Secretary Anwaar Ahmad Khan were also present on the occasion.