Shahbaz, top scorers hoist flag

PUNJAB Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that living within our means and adopting austerity were vital for progress of the country.

Addressing a flag-hoisting ceremony along with two top position holders of matriculation exams at Hazoori Bagh, the CM said we would have to make a resolve on Independence Day that we would live within our means, adopting austerity for the progress of the country. He said Pakistan was a country of 17 crore people and we would have to utilise all our energies and resources to make it the country envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal.

Shahbaz said we would have to be determined to make every sacrifice for the solidarity of the country, learning from our mistakes. He said 14th August was the most important day in the national history as on this day, the Muslims of the sub-continent got freedom from the British and Hindus.

The CM said that we should think whether we were living like proud and independent nations. He said we had faced more failures than successes during last 62 years, adding that though Pakistan had become a nuclear power but we would have to change the policy of reliance on foreign aid.

Shahbaz said the Gojra tragedy had tarnished the image of the country. He made an appeal to Ulema to promote tolerance, restraint and harmony and benefit from modern knowledge to play a role in national development.

After performing flag-hoisting ceremony along with top position holders of the BISE, Ali Murtaza and Hafiz Muhammad, Shahbaz said that hoisting of national flag by position holders in the province on the Independence Day was an acknowledgement of their hard work.

He said that he was pleased to see the confidence in the students and he hoped that they would perform outstandingly in the future as well. On the directions of the chief minister, position-holding students of matriculation examination performed flag-hoisting ceremonies in all other districts of the province.

CRACKDOWN: The CM ordered crackdown on the hoarders of sugar, saying that that sugar stocks should be brought into the market within 24 hours to be sold at the fixed rate. He said the government would discharge its obligation regarding protection of the interests of the common man and action against hoarders would be taken without any discrimination.

Presiding over a meeting at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Friday, the chief minister said people were forced to purchase sugar at exorbitant rates which was resulting in problems for them. He said profit was a right of the sugar dealers but no one would be allowed to exploit the masses.

He directed the food secretary to evolve a system for fixing the prices of sugar which could ensure profit to sugar dealers while upholding interests of consumers. He asked the commissioners and district coordination officers to take action against hoarders of sugar and their sugar stocks should be brought and sold in the market at the fixed rate. He ordered setting up of a committee, headed by the chief secretary, to negotiate with sugar mill owners and to devise a strategy for the sale of sugar stocks in the market, adding that it should be ensured that sugar price should be reasonable, giving due profit to mill owners as well.

TARGETS NOT ACHIEVED YET: Addressing a function arranged by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry in connection with Independence Day at the Aiwan-e-Iqbal, Shahbaz said progress could be made if determined efforts were made for eliminating poverty, ignorance and injustice. He said despite development in some sectors, the desired targets had not been achieved in industrial, agriculture, education and health sectors in the past 62 years. He said the basic purpose of creation of the country was ensuring justice to the masses.

BRITISH MP CALLS ON SHAHBAZ : British Parliament Member Ch Sarwar called on Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.

Informed the British MP about the steps taken for the development of the province, the CM said revolutionary measures were being taken for the promotion of education sector and the Danish Schools project, launched in the far-flung areas, would provide the best academic facilities to the poor students. He said the Punjab Educational Endowment Fund would help the poor but talented students.

Source: The News