LAHORE, Jan 12: The Punjab cabinet approved on Monday one-month salary as bonus for police officials – ranking from constables to assistant sub-inspectors -- for maintaining law and order in the province during Muharram.

Senior Adviser to Chief Minister Sirdar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa briefed reporters after the cabinet meeting.

The cabinet also approved the setting up of a Rs1.25 billion cardiology institute in Quetta as a goodwill gesture from the people of Punjab for the people of Balochistan. The meeting also discussed the report of the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC), pending development projects and corruption in district governments.

Mr Khosa said the cabinet unanimously supported Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s suggestion of awarding bonus to police officials. The ministers also praised the role of ulema, the cabinet committee and officers who supervised the Muharram arrangements.

Mr Khosa said the report of the PPSC chairman for the year 2007 was also presented in the meeting. The cabinet submitted its proposals to check delay in the selection of suitable candidates as well as capacity-building of the commission. The chief minister decided to make a cabinet committee to review all aspects of the commission and sought its recommendations.

Mr Khosa said the cabinet took notice of corruption in government contracts and delay in their execution as a result of connivance between government officials and contractors. A committee to be headed by Mr Khosa was formed to submit a report to the chief minister on the issue in a month. The committee will ensure the timely completion of government contracts and determine the causes behind the delay in the execution of the projects.

Regarding disappearance of the record of the Jatoi Tehsil Municipal Authority, Mr Sharif said the matter should be dealt with full attention and honesty. The chief minister made yet another committee for the purpose. The body is headed by Khosa and consists of Raja Riaz, Tanvir Ashraf Kaira, Rana Sanaullah and Dost Muhammad Khosa.

The committee will also submit its recommendations regarding accountability of district governments and TMAs.

Mr Riaz said the Pakistan People’s Party had sent its list of parliamentary secretaries to the chief minister while that of provincial ministers was also being sent. The minister denied the reports that there was any discord in the coalition government of the PPP and the PML-N.