Getting loans written off is a serious crime :Shahbaz Sharif

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that getting loans written off is a serious crime and strict accountability of such elements as indulged in this practice is essential.

He said that corruption of those who got their loans written off has been proved and the State Bank has their list. He said that the names of those who usurped earnings of poor people deposited in banks have come to the fore.

He said that the families which got their loans written off also have off-shore companies. He said that those who got their loans written off will have to face accountability. He was talking to senior journalists, editors, columnists and anchorpersons at Governor House, here today.

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has said that a large number of people are benefiting from the welfare programmes worth billions of rupees launched by the provincial government. He said that Khidmat Card Programme is also continuing successfully for providing financial assistance to disabled persons and more than 65 thousand deserving disabled persons have been issued Khidmat Cards so far under this programme. He said that financial assistance of crores of rupees has been distributed among the disabled persons through Khidmat Cards.

The Chief Minister said that more than 1.5 lakh talented boy and girl students facing financial constraints are benefitting from Punjab Educational Endowment Fund. He said that more than 15 lakh children of poor families are being equipped with education through Punjab Education Foundation.

He said that free of cost boarding and lodging facilities along with quality education are being provided to boys and girls of poor families in Daanish schools.

Shahbaz Sharif said that youth are being provided interest-free loans to start their own business. He said that those who are fond of sit-ins and politics of protest are trying to create hurdles in the welfare programmes for the poor as they have no interest in their betterment. He said that people are fully aware of the designs of these elements and they will again face failure like the sit-ins.

He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, the journey of progress and prosperity of the country will continue. He expressed these views while talking to Provincial Minister for Social Welfare and Baitul Maal Syed Haroon Sultan Bukhari who called on him.