Lahore, May 19, 2022 (PPI-OT):Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz has announced a record decrease in the price of flour under the Chief Minister Relief Package adding that the ten kg flour bag would be available at Rs.490 instead of Rs.650. The PMLN led government had decided to decrease around 200 billion annual burden through the provision of subsidized flour.

The provincial government has procured 4.5 million metric tons of wheat this year, for which, the food secretary deserves accolades. The wheat is available in the international market at Rs.4000 per maund while the government has purchased wheat from the farmers at Rs.2200 per maund.

While addressing the presser at Model Town along with MPAs namely Asad Khokhar, Syed Hassan Murtaza, Moaviyah Azam, Mian Khalid Mahmood, Jugnu Mohsin, Nouman Langrial, Awais Leghari and Ata Ullah Tarar and Zeeshan Rafiq, the CM said that steps are being taken to reduce prices of sugar and ghee and people would be given much more good news soon in this regard.

I would visit bazaars to monitor the price control mechanism; he said and pointed out that the sugar mills of the Sharif family have taken the lead in reducing the sugar rate. The government is also trying to reduce the prices of essential items and district price control committees have been reactivated across the province along with finalizing a comprehensive price control policy.

Genuine profit is a right of the traders but no one will be allowed illegal profiteering; he announced and regretted that the cabinet could not take oath due to the violation of the constitution by the President as he has started serving the masses on April 30.

The President did not respect the order of the courts and there is no example of such a violation of the constitution in 74 years of history. The person sitting in the President’s House is the culprit of Pakistan as the province comprising 12 crore people is still deprived of a governor.

Pervaiz Elahi has attacked our women in assembly through goons and now showing another stubbornness by not taking the oath of the caretaker government, he added. Enmity has been committed with the people by not taking the oath of the Punjab cabinet as numerous decisions are made by the cabinet but I want to make it crystal clear that I would continue to serve the masses without wasting any movement, added Hamza Shahbaz.

Imran Niazi should listen that I would continue to stand with the people despite hurdles created by him and no power on earth could stop me from serving the masses, he further maintained. Havoc played with Pakistan for four years during the tenure of Imran Niazi and he is not engaged in politics but trying to create anarchy and unrest, he further said.

The CM regretted that Imran Niazi is conspiring to defame the constitution by attacking them and the increase in the dollar rate is the result of the inefficiency of Imran Niazi who could not decide about approaching the IMF for six months.

During his period, the rupee fell by 40 percent. This man is raising the slogan of revolution by committing cruelty against the nation. It is a serious matter that Imran Niazi claimed that families of army men would take part in his march and the institutions should take notice of it.

This man is not deviating from a conspiracy to defame the armed forces when enemies are active, political uncertainty is on the rise and the economy is teetering. He wants devastation of the country, the CM regretted.

What was your agenda if you were not supposed to reduce the rates of potatoes and onions as PM and Imran Niazi raised a false slogan of accountability but could not justify the theft of Tosha Khana? You are committing enmity with Pakistan and institutions and the people would have to take notice of it because you have made friendly countries angry and incurred irreparable losses to diplomatic relations.

Hamza Shahbaz maintained that his leader Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif taught him to serve the masses. Due to the wrong policies of Imran Niazi, prices have gone through the roof. The purchasing power of the common man has almost ended.

The life of the poor has become hell. It does not matter if my cabinet can take the oath but I would continue to stand with the masses. I would remain in this position as long as Allah Almighty is pleased I would continue to serve the masses. They are spreading chaos in the country while we are healing the wounds of the people, he added.

The CM vowed to resolve the problems of the people along with political allies and added that the journey of public service would be moved forward. The officers were given postings after minting money in past tenure but hard working and honest officers are being posted on merit by the incumbent government.

He announced that patients of different diseases, along with cancer, would be given free medicine and challenged Imran Niazi to face him in the political arena as he could not compete with the performance of the incumbent government. We would not take revenge, he added.

Pervaiz Elahi should stop shedding alligators’ tears and the law will come into action against the culprits who attacked the Punjab assembly. Who would be responsible if something happened to Dost Mazari? To a question, he said that the PML N government handed over a load-shedding free country in 2018.

Electricity plants were not taken care of during the tenure of Imran Niazi and near and dear ones benefited from furnace oil and the people have to face the consequences. Farah Gogi used to run Punjab and she minted money. The real faces of the culprits of the people would be brought before the masses.

PTI does not want this system to run and Imran Niazi is repeating the mantra of ‘I will not agree’ but Pakistan would continue to survive. However, the people would have to keep a vigilant eye on Imran Niazi because he is committing enmity with the country to satiate his ego.

That is why he violated the constitution and if the Supreme Court had not opened at midnight, there would be no law in the country. The only solution to crises faced by the country lies in transparent elections, he added.

To another question, he termed the long march as the fear march of Imran Niazi. A former minister from Rawalpindi used to say that handcuffs are our jewel and jail is our home but the next day he goes to court and gets bail.

He said that Imran Niazi and his cronies would have to account for 4 years of the heist. Shehzad Akbar kept my brother’s accounts frozen for many months and cases were filed against us as revenge, but we would not do anything that would smell of revenge, the CM concluded.

CM TAKES NOTICE OF PAPERS’ LEAKAGE: Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz has sought a report from the education secretary about papers’ leakage in the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Rawalpindi. While ordering the inquiry, he directed that the report be submitted today after conducting investigations.

Disciplinary action should be taken against those responsible for papers’ leakage as it’s a question mark over institutional secrecy, he said. The future of the students cannot be put at stake due to anyone’s negligence and anyone involved in it will be punished, he concluded.

CM TAKES NOTICE OF OUTBREAK OF DIARRHEA AND CHOLERA: Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz has sought a report from the health secretary about the outbreak of diarrhoea and cholera in Lahore and other cities and directed to take effective measures to control the diseases. Best facilities should be provided to the patients in hospitals and people should also be sensitised about the adoption of precautionary measures to remain safe; he said and ordered maintaining ample availability of medicines in the hospitals.

CM CONDOLES DEATH OF MOTHER OF SENIOR JOURNALIST MIAN RAUF: Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz has expressed a deep sense of grief and sorrow over the demise of senior journalist Mian Rauf’s mother and prayed to Allah Almighty to bless her soul and grant patience to the bereaved heirs.

For more information, contact:
Office of the Chief Minister of Punjab
Government of the Punjab
8-Club Road, GOR-I, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-99205562-3
Fax: +92-42-99205561
Website: https://cm.punjab.gov.pk/