Working class was ignored in 64 years:Shahbaz Sharif

Lahore:Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that public funds have been spent on facilitating the elite during the last 64 years, whereas the working class, farmers and less-fortunate segments of the society have been ignored due to which they are still deprived of basic facilities of life. He said that Punjab government has launched revolutionary programmes for the welfare, uplift and prosperity of the common man and the downtrodden segments of the society. He said that the programme of distribution of free-of-cost 5-marla plots to the shelterless people in rural and urban areas for the construction of houses has been finalized whereas the process of granting proprietary rights to the dwellers of Katchi Abadies will also commence soon.

He was presiding over a high-level meeting, held at the Tent Office Minar-e-Pakistan, here today, to review pace of implementation of the project of awarding proprietary rights to the dwellers of Katchi Abadies and Jinnah Abadi Scheme. Members National Assembly, Junaid Anwar Chaudhary, Ch. Sarwar, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Members Colonies, Divisional Commissioners, DG Katchi Abadies and other concerned officers were present. Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that the welfare-oriented programmes of Punjab government to provide shelter to the homeless persons are continuing successfully. He said a transparent system for distribution of plots to homeless people for construction of houses in rural and urban areas would be adopted on the pattern of Aashiyana Housing Scheme. The Chief Minister noted that successive governments have not realized the problems and suffering of the common man during the last 64 years and, it is for the first time in the history of the country, that the Punjab government has diverted its resources to provide maximum relief to the poor segments of the society. He said that provision of necessary facilities to the poverty, inflation and loadshedding-stricken citizens is of utmost importance. He said it is the need of the hour that practical steps should be taken to bridge the chasm between the rich and the poor and, keeping this fact in view, the Punjab government has launched Aashiyana Housing Scheme, Jinnah Abadi Scheme and awarding of proprietary rights to residents of Katchi Abadies..

DG Katchi Abadies gave a detailed briefing to the Chief Minister about the process of awarding proprietary rights to the residents of Katchi Abadies whereas the Divisional Commissioners informed him about the progress made towards implementation of Jinnah Abadi Scheme and Katchi Abadis. A number of important decisions were also taken in the meeting regarding awarding of proprietary rights to the dwellers of Katchi Abadies.