Prime Minister Imran Khan Sunday took notice of ‘overbilling’ of the domestic gas consumers and directed the
minister for petroleum to conduct immediate inquiry into the matter, according to a statement issued by the PM Office. The prime
minister said that putting extra burden of gas prices on the masses was unjustified, the statement added.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was on a day-long visit to Lahore on Sunday, approved the ‘Punjab Spatial Strategy’ and assured the provincial government of all possible support by the federal government.
The prime
minister chaired a meeting over the capacity enhancement of
Punjab government’s ad
ministration and financial resources, the PM Office said in a separate statement. During the meeting, the prime
minister stressed the need for restructuring of the ad
ministrative infrastructure for the welfare of the people. The meeting considered proposals for the utilization of technology, investment and use of human resource for achieving the economic growth. Dr Salman Shan, a renowned economist, gave a detailed briefing. The meeting also deliberated upon the measures for increasing the skilled manpower and for the growth of agriculture, industry, energy and infrastructure.
Deliberations took place on the steps that should be taken to better promote agriculture, industry, power, infrastructure, and skilled human resource. It was advised that emphasis be given on increasing agricultural and industrial output and also on identifying ways to diversify the range of product
s being manufactured.
The development plan for 50 cities and 36 major districts of
Punjab also came under discussion and it was decided that at least 15 cities of the province be declared ‘economic hubs’.
The meeting was attended by
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, Federal Minister
for Information Fawad Chaudhry, Federal Minister for National Health Services Amer Mehmood Kiani, Special Assistant to PM on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfiqar Bukhari, Special Assistant to PM on Political Affairs Naeemul Haq,
Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, Minister for Agriculture Malik Nauman Langrial, Minister for Finance Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht, Minister for Housing Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, Minister
for Irrigation Mohsin Leghari, Minister
for Industry Mian Aslam Iqbal and other senior officials. The prime
minister also chaired a meeting of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf
Punjab
media strategy committee which was attended by
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar,
Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, senior
minister Aleem Khan and others. During the meeting, Chohan briefed the prime
minister on the
media strategy adopted in
Punjab so far. Khan subsequently instructed the committee to highlight development projects initiated by the provincial government and defend the party and the government in a more effective manner in the media. The provincial task force on housing informed the prime
minister about progress on Naya Pakistan Housing Programme.
Punjab Minister for Housing Mehmood-ur-Rasheed was present during the briefing.
Published in Daily Times, February 4th 2019.