Punjab CM announces to reserve his helicopter for flood-affected people

The Punjab cabinet on Monday expressed full solidarity with the flood victims and announced to give one-month salary to help the affected people. Chief Minister Parvez Elahi, who was chairing the meeting, announced to reserve his helicopter for the flood victims, and said that it should be used to give relief to the distressed population. It was also decided to meet the needs of other flood-affected provinces, and the CM announced the dispatch of medicines and medical staff to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan for the affected people. The Punjab government stands with the affected people of other provinces in the hour of difficulty, he added. The meeting endorsed the decision to declare flood-affected areas of Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan and Mianwali as calamity-stricken and prayer was offered for the departed souls. It also extended sympathies to the bereaved heirs. The CM directed to speed up the relief activities in a systematic manner and said that tents, food hampers and other equipment will be provided in the affected areas as needed. The government will also redress the damages to houses, crops and livestock and every rightful person will be given his right; he said and directed that no one’s right should be usurped. The cabinet approved the release of special funds of Rs4 billion for the rehabilitation of the damages to the irrigation infrastructure caused by rains and floods. It was decided to hand over the auction process of state lands in DG Khan district to the cabinet standing committee for privatization and the committee will give its final recommendations after considering all the issues. The cabinet approved naming Nicholson Road after the late politician Nawabzada Nasrullah. It was decided to entrust the matter of staff of phase two of the PSDP/ADP funded program for water courses to the committee and the extension of the post of president LDA Tribunal Mansoor Ahmad Khan was also approved. The formation of a new search committee for the appointment of vice-chancellors of public universities was approved with Shafqat Mahmood as its convener. The appointment of the chairperson and judicial members of the Punjab Revenue Authority’s appellate tribunal and the annual calendar of the 5th parliamentary year 2022-23 of the Punjab assembly were approved. The cabinet approved the annual report of the Punjab Public Service Commission for the year 2021. In the meeting, the annual report of the Office of the Ombudsman Punjab for 2021 was also approved. The reconstitution of the cabinet standing committees formed in the first meeting of the cabinet was approved as well. The decisions of the first meeting of the cabinet were confirmed. A briefing was given about the loss of life and property caused by the floods and relief activities. The provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants, chief secretary and senior officials attended the meeting. Meanwhile, Parvez Elahi said that gyms and complexes will be built for wrestlers in four cities including Gujranwala, Lahore, and Multan. He was addressing the Pride of Punjab Sports Award and Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony at Nishtar Park Sports Complex. Parvez Elahi said that it is commendable to get gold medals in the sports sector. “The sports sector which was neglected in the past will be restored and functional. I am inviting the vice-chancellors to promote sports in private universities,̶1; he added. The government will invite foreign and good coaches to develop the youth talent. Chief Minister Parvez Elahi said that a 25-storey complex will be built near the Gaddafi Stadium with a cost of one billion dollars. In the new complex, the Punjab government’s share will be 30 percent and the United Arab Emirates government’s share will be 70 percent. An underground tunnel will be built for the players to come and go to the stadium. By building a modern complex, it will be easier to hold cricket matches in Lahore instead of Dubai. He said that the government will bring a good coach for the Kabaddi players from wherever they can find. Women’s participation in other sports besides cricket will also be encouraged. The Punjab government will not ignore the sports sector. Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi announced to give of a home to Pakistan’s first gold medalist athlete Deen Muhammad. The Chief Minister also announced to giving of a snooker table worth Rs1 million to the snooker champion Ahsan Ramazan. Earlier, Chief Minister Parvez Elahi presented the Pride of Punjab Award and Rs2 million each to Arshad Nadeem, Noh Dastagir Butt, and Ahsan Ramazan. Inam Butt, Tahir Sharif, and Zaman Anwar, who won silver medals in Commonwealth Games, were awarded the Pride of Punjab Award and Rs1 million each. Ali Asad was given five lakh and the Pride of Punjab award. The Chief Minister honored Akram Sahi, prominent former kabaddi player Arshad Sattar, badminton player Zareena Waqar, and late former athlete Abdul Khaliq with Lifetime Achievement Awards and gave a prize of Rs.5 lakh to each of them. The late Abdul Khaliq’s award and a cash prize were received by his son.