Shahbaz Sharif greets Provincial Committee on Law & Order for maintaining peace in the province

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif  presided over a meeting of provincial cabinet which considered 7-point agenda and action was taken on all the points of the agenda.

The participants of the meeting were served with tea and biscuits under austerity policy. Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that during all the three phases of local bodies elections, political and administrative team of Punjab government worked hard for maintaining the environment of public peace and overall law and order situation remained satisfactory during local bodies elections.

He said that provincial cabinet committee on law and order, Chief Secretary Khizar Hayat Gondal, Inspector General Police, Secretary Home and officials of law enforcement agencies performed their duties efficiently. He said that foolproof security arrangements in Punjab compared to KPK and Sindh during local bodies elections is the result of teamwork and congratulated all concerned authorities.

Members of Punjab Cabinet  paid tributes to the steps taken by Shahbaz Sharif for the protection of life and property of the people and said that Shahbaz Sharif personally supervised all the measures for ensuring peaceful conduct of local bodies elections in the province.

They said that during his visit to England, the Chief Minister issued necessary instructions to administrative and police officers through email and phone. That is why local bodies elections were held in a peaceful manner in Punjab  and the efforts of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif are appreciable, they added.

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif presided over a meeting of Provincial Cabinet here today, which gave approval to Punjab Animal Slaughter Control Amendment Bill 2015 and the draft law of Punjab Poultry Production Act 2013.

The meeting also approved Punjab Private Education Commission Bill 2014, draft law of the Punjab Restriction of Employment of Children Act 2015 and Punjab Domestic Workers Policy 2015. The Cabinet also expressed satisfaction over the security arrangements made for maintaining law & order in all the three phases of local bodies elections as well as the steps taken under National Action Plan against terrorism.

The Provincial Cabinet paid tributes to the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on foolproof security arrangements for local bodies elections and effective implementation of the plan.

Addressing the meeting of Provincial Cabinet, the Chief Minister said that better arrangements were made in Punjab compared to other provinces for ensuring a peaceful atmosphere in all three phases of local bodies elections. He said that all necessary measures were taken for enabling the people to exercise their right of franchise in a peaceful atmosphere.

Shahbaz Sharif congratulated Provincial Committee on Law & Order, Chief Secretary, Inspector General Police, Secretary Home and law enforcement agencies for making excellent security arrangements on the occasion of local bodies elections. He said that due to comprehensive measures taken in the province in different phases of local bodies elections, the people cast their vote in a free and fair atmosphere and they expressed their complete confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif once again.

He said the masses through the power of their vote proved that they want progress and prosperity of the country and not sit-ins and therefore, they gave a befitting reply through their vote to the elements as wasted the precious time of the nation. He said that the results of local bodies elections have authenticated the transparency of general elections of 2013.

Under Punjab Animal Slaughter Control Amendment Bill 2015, approved in the meeting of cabinet, the elements selling haram or dead meat will be given four to eight years imprisonment and a fine of three lakh to five lakh rupees. Under the amendment, bill penalty for selling substandard or harmful meat has also been increased. The sale of substandard, harmful, haram or dead meat will be a non-bailable offence.

The Chief Minister said that Punjab government has adopted a solid strategy for the quality education in the province while splendid programmes have also been started for providing quality education to poor but talented children. Under Punjab Private Education Commission Bill 2014, a 17-member commission will be formed to regulate private schools. Under the bill, private schools will be graded for regulating fee structure. Under the bill, private schools will be bound to provide free education to 10 percent low income but talented boy and girl students.

The commission will also play its role for controlling exploitation of teachers at private schools. Committees set up at district level will ensure implementation of the laws. It will compulsory for Private schools to get themselves registered after 90 days of the establishment of the commission.

The Chief Minister said that Punjab government is determined to eliminate child labour from the province and forced labour from children will be curbed at any cost. He said that laws with regard to child labour should be strictly implemented and the concerned departments should play an active role in this regard. Under the draft law of Restriction of Employment of Children Act 2015, industrial labour of all kinds from children below the age of 14 years will be banned.

The Chief Secretary gave a briefing to the meeting regarding the functions arranged in connection with observing martyrs week on the occasion of first anniversary of the tragedy at Army Public School Peshawar.

Secretary Home Informed the meeting about overall law & order situation in the province.

The Punjab Cabinet also expressed sorrow and grief over the death of father-in-law of Provincial Minister Malik Nadeem Kamran and offered fateha for the departed soul.

Provincial Ministers, Advisors, Special Assistants, Chief Secretary and secretaries concerned were present in the meeting.