Punjab CM Khosa secures confidence of 264 MPAs
'Pakistan Times' Punjab Bureau

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab, Sardar Dost Muhammad Khosa secured confidence of the house by securing 264 votes in the Punjab Assembly on Friday.

Sardar Khosa, the youngest chief executive of the province, sought vote of confidence, under article 130(3) of the constiution, from the Punjab Assembly as it met this morning.

MPA Malik Nadeem Kamran moved the resolution for formally initiating the process of voting while the session was chaired by Speaker Punjab Assembly Rana Mohammed Iqbal.

Dost Muhammad Khosa vowed to fulfil their promises with the masses by changing the system through result-oriented reforms in all sectors.

Addressing the house soon after securing confidence of 264 MPAs in the house, Khosa termed the day (April 18) as the victory of democracy, citing, “this is the result of the great hardships and sacrifices of PML-N and PPP top leadership.”

Khosa thanked allied parties’ leadership and MPAs for their support in this regard. He also paid glowing tribute to Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Benazir Bhutto Shaheed and allied parties, civil society, lawyers and journalists community for their contributions towards restoring democracy in the country.

The Chief Minister said people want a peaceful society as they are facing a lot of problems such as poverty, price-hike, food shortage, lack of education and health facilities and unemployment.

“We will prefer collective public good on our personal interest and we come here with a resolve to change the system,” he maintained.

Khosa said the CM House would now be centre of public service and its expenses would be reduced by 70 percent, while ministers would be responsible for performance of their respective departments.

The government, he said, would reduce the administrative budget and the saved amount would be spent on public welfare, and no political interference would be allowed in the administration.

He assured that they would not resort to political vengeance, however, those, who looted the public exchequer, would be subjected to accountability.

The competent and devoted officers would be appointed in the departments and they would be bound not to avail perks and privileges beyond the laid down rule and regulations, he maintained.

The Chief Minister also warned the district governments to mend their ways and focus on provision of basic life amenities to the people.

Khosa said the government would also secure rights of women, old persons, children, minorities and the special people, besides constructing low-cost house for the poor.

He assured that traders, industrialists and investors of the country would be provided complete security.

The government would also take steps for strengthening and improving the judiciary to ensure justice to all the affected segments of the society, he said.

The Chief Minister also hinted at re-structuring of police department, which would be provided with all modern facilities to enhance its capacity.

Punjab Chief Minister Dost Muhammad Khosa said good governance, elimination of poverty, unemployment, terrorism, ‘Afsar Shahi’ (bureaucratic monopoly) and provision of basic life facilities including edibles, education and health to masses, are the government’s priorities.

Khosa said that government would also pay proper attention towards food and livestock sectors and work for the betterment of growers and dairy farmers.

He vowed, “We will create an atmosphere of tolerance in the villages so that farmers spend their earning on their own uplift instead of wasting their money on courts’ cases.”

Khosa also assured that government would give due respect and honour to the teaching community, besides financially supporting the poor and intelligent students. Measures would be put in order to bring public educational institutions’ standard at par with those of best private institutions.

The government would also provide resources for promotion of technical and vocational education.

He expressed the resolve to eliminate the land grabbers’ mafia and emphasized upon all the relevant officials to supplement the government’s effort in this regard.

The government would also ensure strict implementation of the law regarding one-dish in wedding ceremonies throughout the province, he added.

He said they would get quashed the cases on merit against leaders and workers of PML-N, PPP, MMA, PTI, lawyers, journalists and those who strived for restoration of democracy in the country.

Earlier, the Speaker congratulated the Chief Minister on securing confidence of majority of the house members. He hoped that Chief Minister would take extra care of the poor as well as pull the people out of electricity , water, food and other crisis through effective planning.

Parliamentary leaders of the allied parties in the house including PPP’s Raja Riaz, PML (Functional) Makhdoom Ahmed Mahood and MMA’s Ilyas Chinioti and other MPAs felicitated Khosa and hoped for his excellent delivering.

Raja Riaz said though PPP and PML-N have different manifestos, their mission is same and that is to serve the people.

Chinioti strongly condemned the publishing of blasphemous caricatures by Denmark and other European countries. He also stressed the need for constructing a mosque in the assembly premises.

He also assured to initiate result-oriented projects to control price-hike, adding that Sunday Bazaars and price control committees are effective measures in this regard.

The government, he said, would also launch comprehensive projects to address the public transport problem.●