Special Assitant to the Punjab Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said on Tuesday that the ruling party is a guardian for the rights of farmers.
During a presser, she said: “It’s not just the water running through rivers but also the blood of our farmers and smallholders that run Pakistan’s economy and provide it oxygen through agricultural output”, adding that the provincial irrigation minister had taken astounding measures to improve the lives and livelihoods of farmers.
The special aide pointed out that previous governments had not focused on the development of the agriculture sector within Pakistan. In particular, she held the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government responsible, stating that the “royal family made Jati Umrah its centre of attention”.
The government would provide prosperity to the farmers, ensure water supply to the final stage, and turn barren farmlands into fertile ones for the oppressed farmers under Punjab Irrigation Minister Muhammad Mohsin Khan Leghari’s leadership and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar’s direction and vision — which is its “goal, obligation, and responsibility”, she added.
Meanwhile, Provincial Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal said on Tuesday that a network of 32 model bazaars were providing important relief to the buyers in different cities of the province wherein the farmers were allowed to directly sell their produce in model bazaars as free stalls were provided to them by the government.
While addressing a gathering of party workers at his camp office, the minister expressed the satisfaction that hundreds of thousands of people benefit from the facility of model bazaars while thousands of petty shopkeepers were also earning their livelihood.
A model bazaar would also be established in every tehsil of the province as the chief minister had given in-principle approval to expand the scope of the model bazaars, the minister disclosed.
The provincial minister said that 309 Ramadan bazaars would start functioning from Shaban 25 to provide essential items at subsidized rates. The public interest would be protected as the welfare of the masses was very dear to the government, he vowed.
On a separate occasion, Dr Awan said while talking to the media in Lahore that Punjab cabinet has accorded approval to build thirty-five thousand apartments for low-income under the supervision of LDA.
She said that in the first phase, 4000 apartments will be constructed in Lahore city, reported Radio Pakistan.
She said that a twenty per cent quota for provincial employees and for LDA employees and a ten per cent quota will be available for federal employees in this regard.
Firdous said that under the direction of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar apartments will be given to journalists and lawyers also under the special quota.
She said that two hundred bed Mother and child care hospital will be built in Multan to facilitate people and new two cement plants will be established in Punjab.
She said that a special allowance will be given to doctors of the Punjab population welfare department.
A dar earlier in Sialkot, she had said that Punjab government is working for the development of backward districts, adding that the development projects are being completed keeping in view the needs of the backward areas of South Punjab.
Dr Firdous had said the government is promoting tourism to highlight the culture and soft image of Pakistan to the entire world. The successful holding of jeep rally in Cholistan will promote cultural and economic activities and will start new era of progress and prosperity in the region, she said.
She had maintained the inauguration of a double-decker tourist bus in Bahawalpur is an important step towards the promotion of tourism in the region. Dr Firdous said the incumbent government considers inflation as an important issue and in order to resolve it, the government is bringing the alternative system of market committees.
On the occasion, she had pointed out that the old system used to benefit only a few and a handful of people have not only exploited the farmers but also harmed the people, therefore, the PTI government is introducing an alternative system of market committees which will help control price-hike and inflation.
