Police traced all high profile cases in two years: CM

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Tuesday said that main culprit of the motorway rape incident had been arrested last night due to the continued efforts of Punjab police.

It was a high-profile case and "I extend congratulations to IG Police and his team as the main accused is now under police custody", he said adding the Punjab police had traced all the high-profile cases during the two years and arrested the criminals as well.

The accused will face legal action and the case will be brought to its logical end, he added.

The CM also announced an Rs. 5 million reward for the investigation team.

Earlier, during his key-note address at distribution ceremony of certificates of allotment of agri machinery and e-credit scheme cheques among the farmers at 90-SQA, he said the PTI was a genuine farmer-friendly government as it had been giving full reward to sugarcane farmers for their hard work for the first time.

He said payment of 99 per cent dues to sugarcane farmers had been ensured in the last two years, whereas, support prices of wheat and sugarcane were also being sufficiently increased.

The CM emphasized that e-credit scheme limit had been increased to Rs. 5,000 for rabi crops and Rs. 12,000 for Kharif crop to facilitate the farmers.

He said that interest-free loans amounting to Rs. 35 billion had also been provided to needy farmers during the last two years and another amount of Rs. 300 billion was being spent on agri development through PM Agri Emergency Programme.

Meanwhile, per acre yield was being increased and irrigation facilities were improved and the latest agri machinery was imperative for this purpose.

The Punjab government had provided the latest machinery worth Rs. 460 million at subsidized rates to farmers and a Rs. 2.5 billion increase had been recorded in farmers’ income due to cultivation of 78,000 acre barren land in two years.

He expressed the satisfaction that 80 new varieties of crops had been approved by the agriculture department and Rs. 6 billion had been earmarked for agri research.

Aditional wheat, gram, and canola crops had been produced due to farmer-friendly steps of the provincial government, he maintained.

He also distributed allotment certificates and cheques among the farmers.

Agriculture Minister Hussain Jehanian Gardezi stated the promotion of agriculture would boost economic development and the use of the latest machinery would result in enhancing per acre yield.

The CM also inspected the agri machinery exhibition.

Agri Advisor Abdul Hai Dasti, Parliamentary Secretary (Agriculture) Muhammad Tahir Randhawa, ACS (Agriculture) and others were also present.