RAWALPINDI: Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan has claimed that there was no crisis of flour in Punjab and said the Punjab government has taken strict action against 376 flour mills whereas licenses of 15 flour mills were suspended besides imposition of fine amounting to Rs. 60 million on violation of law.
Addressing a press conference here in Punjab House, Chohan said that check posts were established to stop flour smuggling to KP. A software was prepared which would help dealers and flour mills to maintain the demand and supply, he told.
The Minister said that the mills involved in selling flour from government wheat in the open market would be sealed while instruction has been issued to officers of the food department and district administration to ensure the availability of flour at a fixed price.
He said some people took easy to Buzdar government but it was not like that as health cards were distributed in 60 percent areas of the province, tax collection was improved to 104 percent while extra expenditure of CM Secretariat were cut down to 60 percent by decreasing the number of camp offices from 8 to 1.
He informed that 57 percent of developmental budget amounting to Rs. 77 billion out of Rs 350 billion was released till Jan 15 for the ongoing development projects in the province.
He said Shehbaz Sharif, his family members and close friends looted the public money through 56 companies in Punjab. “A bad impression was given to defame Buzdar government,” he added.
Talks with PML-Q and MQM are underway; Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government would complete its five-year constitutional tenure as we had the full confidence of all the allied parties.
On the other hand, while taking at the oath taking ceremony of Crime & Court Reporters Association Rawalpindi (CCRAR) here in Rawalpindi Press Club, the Minister said that the advertisement to media houses would be stopped if they fails to pay salaries to employees for consecutive three month, adding that in this regard he would conduct a meeting with Director General of Public Relation on January 21.
Chohan said that journalists were fourth pillar of the state that performed valuable service for the stability of democracy in Pakistan. ‘As a minister of Buzdar government, I will continue to do my utmost to ensure the dignity and employment of working journalists’, he added.
He assured the members of the representative body of journalists that in collaboration with the Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, he would ensure the issuance of Health Cards to 6,000 journalists across Punjab.
Meanwhile, while addressing a ceremony held in his honor by All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association, Chohan said that promotion of education in line with the needs of modern era was very basic pre-requisite for an utmost development, prosperity and stronger economy of Pakistan.
He stated that establishment of nine new universities in Punjab was a result of governmental initiatives for promotion of education. The Minister added that number of higher education institutions awarding BS degree has come to 79 in Punjab which was only 55 earlier.
