LAHORE, Dec 10: Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, admitting that the law and order was deteriorating in the province, has announced a vigorous drive against criminals and their harbourers.
Speaking to MNAs and MPAs from Lahore and Gujranwala here on Tuesday, the chief minister said all police stations had been directed to prepare lists of criminals and take stern action against them and their harbourers. He asked the MNAs and MPAs to take part in the drive and help police weed out crime.
He said as unemployment was another big problem in the province, the job creating process would be sped up to absorb as many people as possible. A comprehensive plan was being chalked out to make recruitments against the available jobs. Several thousand vacancies of lady health visitors were lying vacant and these would be filled on merit, he said.
He said another plan was being made to develop a working relationship between district Nazimeen and MNAs and MPAs so that they would jointly carry out development projects.
The chief minister said a plan was afoot to improve the Zakat and Ushr system as there had been complaints against it.
He said a package was being prepared for development activities only in northern Lahore and other under-developed localities of the city. There was no need to conduct such activities in posh localities like Model Town and Gulberg.
He said the government was taking steps for the protection of human rights. Hospitals had already been directed to provide first aid to the people injured in events requiring legal action without waiting for police. Similarly, he said, orders had also been issued to arrange for trial of women prisoners on jail premises.
He said revolutionary changes would be brought about in the agriculture sector, and he would like to see the impact of his policies in this sector only in two years. He said efforts were being made to overcome water scarcity especially in southern Punjab where even drinking water was not available in cities like Bahawalnagar.
The chief minister invited the elected representatives to convey to him their problems.
He asked for the reorganization of the PML-Q at the local level so that the MNAs and MPAs could remain in touch with the people.
Earlier, three minority MPAs — Joseph Hakim, Engineer Shahzad Elahi and Joel Amir Sahotta — called on Pervaiz Elahi. Talking to them, the chief minister said protection of the rights of minorities was a part of the PML-Q manifesto.