Says PML-N came to power to serve masses
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Hamza Shahbaz on Friday said that the consti-tutional crisis that was created in the province was unprecedented. Speaking at Aiwan-e-Iqbal in Lahore, he accused Punjab Assembly (PA) Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and main op-position party in the assembly Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of trampling upon the constitution. “The speaker kept convening and kept adjourning assembly sessions; thus wasting public money,” he added. Hamza said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had come to power to serve masses. He claimed that the PTI gov-ernment had even snatched from people the provision of medicines for free. “But now people of the province will be able to purchase medicines at all Punjab hospitals free of cost from July 1, 2022,” he announced. The CM also said that more facilities would be of-fered to the people under the health card.
He was of the view that PTI leaders had talked of ‘bloody march’ only to save their political image. “Despite Supreme Court (SC) orders, PTI workers damaged public properties inside the Red Zone,” he said. PML-N MPA faints during Punjab Assembly session. Meanwhile Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Salma Butt fainted during the session of Punjab Assembly at Aiwan-e-Iqbal, Lahore. According to the assembly sources, the woman lawmaker of the PML-N fell unconscious after her condition deteriorated during the Punjab Assembly session.
She was shifted to Services Hospital, Lahore for medical treatment. Earlier, Chief Minister said that in the last three months, the history of Pakistan, especially Punjab, has undergone immense political and constitutional ups and downs. The constitutional havoc played is unparalleled in history as the custodian of the house violated the law. I salute assembly mem-bers, allies and independents. I am also grateful for the courage shown by the Deputy Speaker. Government officials performed their duties and carried out the court decision. People waited for the budget for 48 hours but their ego and stubbornness bulldozed everything. During the three months, we fought against illegal and unconstitutional tactics and took every step under the constitution and law.
He said that those who spoke of a bloody revolution entered Punjab with the armed police of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. We had given rubber bullets to the Punjab police. He said that there was chaos behind the politics of this man who was descanting the allegation of conspiracy. Sometimes, he attacks the institutions and sometimes, he attacks the country. His politics revolves around ‘if I didn’t come.’ A person sitting in the Presidency has played the role of a follower of Imran Khan.
The chief minister announced that from July 1st, free medicines would be available in DHQ and THQ hospitals of 36 districts in Punjab while cancer medicines would also be available free of cost.
He said that the cameras of the Safe City project in Lahore would be made function-al and this project will be expanded to the whole of Punjab.
“I was told that a block for former CM was being developed at Punjab House Islamabad,” he said and added that this former CM approached the high court for security and perks.
30 per cent of CCTV cameras of the safe city remain out of order for three and a half years but you didn’t care for the safety of the people, he regretted.
He said that eight thousand kilometre-long farm-to-market roads would be rehabilitated at a cost of billions of rupees. The farmers would also be given interest-free loans. The government had procured five million metric tonnes of wheat and provided full compensation to the farmers for their la-bor. The wheat support price would be announced in time so that the farmers could sow wheat on a large scale. The chief minister said that the laptop scheme was being revived for the youth of Punjab. He said that Rs.50 billion was being allo-cated for the construction and repair of intra-district roads and high quality of roads would be ensured.
He said that the building of the Punjab Agriculture, Food and Drug Authority was kept on hold for three and a half years which resulted in the loss of Rs.3 billion due to an increase in construction cost. The building will be made functional in a few months and will inaugurate the project.
The Violence Against Women Center in Multan remained closed for many years and the staff were not even paid their salaries, he regretted. We will not only restore the center but also set up such centers in other districts.
12 thousand scooties will be given to lady teachers and other women and a 500-bed hospital in Gujranwala will be completed this year.
Announcing the establishment of a university in Gujranwala, the CM said that the University of Gujranwala would also be started soon.
