LAHORE, Dec 28: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday said Punjab could play a pivotal role in strengthening national economy by promoting agriculture and livestock sectors, and the provincial government should take measures in this regard on priority basis.
He was speaking at a briefing given by Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on the measures taken by the provincial government at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.
The president, who reached here on Tuesday night, is scheduled to attend convocation of LUMS and a luncheon by the CPNE here on Thursday. He is expected to leave for Islamabad on Friday.
The president said it augured well that development projects were being completed in the province in various sectors of life under a comprehensive strategy.
“I feel happy that whenever I come to you, you always have fresh news regarding new development projects which shows that Punjab is not stagnant and you are heading in the right direction,” the president said.
Referring to the law and order situation, he said though it was necessary to arrest criminals, it was more important to ensure deterrent punishment to them. Setting up of a separate prosecution department in Punjab for this purpose was a commendable step, he added.
He lauded the Lahore Ring Road project and introduction of CNG rickshaws in Lahore as well as other cities of the province to improve environment.
Earlier, the chief minister said the president was taking keen interest in the development of provinces. “Therefore, whenever he comes to Lahore he spares time for having latest information about development projects in Punjab.”
Mr Elahi briefed the president on various aspects of the overall development strategy and said the provincial government was paying special attention to local needs while making schemes and that was why 14 districts of southern Punjab had been selected for awarding educational stipends to girl students.
He said the provincial government was taking measures in economic and financial sectors for the generation of maximum job opportunities for poverty alleviation. He said the foundation stone of an international standard software park would be laid in Lahore in March 2007 which would create 20,000 jobs for skilled and unskilled people. The centre was being set up with the cooperation of Singapore.
He said another programme was being initiated in the health sector on the pattern of the education sector reforms programme.
Due to the education reform programme the enrolment rate of students had increased by 19.8 per cent and “I am confident that the health programme would also prove to be beneficial for the people,” Mr Elahi said.
He said special measures were being taken for capacity building and financial stability of local body institutions and the Punjab government had provided a favourable atmosphere for the success of this system in the province.
Planning and Development chairman Suleiman Ghani talked about the pace of development as well as major development projects in the communication sector.
He said the Punjab government would spend Rs30 billion on 62-km long Lahore Ring Road.