LAHORE, June 16: Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi directed on Wednesday all members of the parliamentary party to maintain quorum during the current budget session of the assembly and fully defend the budget.

He gave these directions during meeting of the PML and its allied parties here. Officials said the chief minister had also directed all ministers to keep a close liaison with their respective parliamentary secretaries and chairmen of standing committees for better handling the budget session.

Several MPAs informed the chief minister about problems in their respective areas during the meeting. PPP (Patriots) MPA Imbisat Khan demanded weightage for her party while a ruling party MPA from Kasur complained that the provincial administrative secretaries did not respond well to the MPAs.

The chief minister ordered shifting of an inquiry from Sialkot to Lahore when an MPA alleged that police had wrongfully implicated four people in a case. The chief minister said for the first time in the Punjab history a record number of desperate fugitives had been arrested from Sialkot, Jhelum and other cities in the region.

He gave directions for the implementation of the Pure Food Act to eliminate rampant adulteration. The existing law provided for adequate mechanism to arrest the menace, he reportedly said.

The chief minister announced the reorganization of the engineering staff of the local governments so as to fully involve them in development projects. The new shape of the service and functions of the staff would be notified in near future, he said.

Earlier, he said the Punjab government had conveyed its concern to the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd over the delay of provision of gas in different parts of the province despite the deposit of required funds with it.

"We are in constant touch with the company and do hope that the gas would soon be provided in the areas on a priority basis," he informed the participants. He announced the establishment of a garments city in Faisalabad where facilities of research, testing laboratories, clean environment and quality control would be provided so as to attract foreign investors there.

The chief minister said the government had reduced the water rate to half for the farmers having lands at the tail-ends of canals. However, he asked the MPAs to point out such farmers who were not receiving water for irrigation purposes so that they could be exempted from the payment of water tax.

He said the government had prepared a plan to link the road network of every village with the nearest inter-district highways. Implementation of the plan would improve communication between cities and villages and help farmers get better price of their produce.

The chief minister said the government was also adopting extraordinary measures for the improvement of the irrigation system. It would start mega projects for the rehabilitation of canals and water channels under the national drainage programme during the next fiscal year.

He said the government was taking measures to improve law and order in the province and launching a vigorous deweaponization campaign besides going after criminals involved in heinous crime, and their harbours.

The chief minister urged the need for a close liaison between the MPAs and district Nazims and said this was necessary for the proper completion of regional development schemes.

Different MPAs informed the chief minister about the problems in their respective constituencies. Meanwhile, Law Minister Raja Basharat called on the chief minister and discussed with him a strategy for the budget session of the assembly, legislation and other parliamentary affairs, law and order. He asked the minister to make his colleagues in the cabinet fully prepare for the question hours, and adjournment or privilege motions.