PTI gives new identity to South Punjab: CM

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Monday said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had given a new identity to south Punjab by taking concrete measures including the establishment of south Punjab secretariat in Multan and Bahawalpur to facilitate the locals.

In a statement issued here, the CM regretted that the funds meant for south Punjab were spent on other districts in the past.

The past governments re-appropriated the funds allocated for south Punjab to other projects while the people continued to mire in the quagmire of poverty, he deplored and added the past rulers deceived the people of south Punjab in the name of development.

The CM lamented the past governments deceived the people through their political jugglery and used the demand for south Punjab province for political benefits. However, the incumbent government had ring-fenced the development budget of south Punjab to avoid the past practice, he stated.

The PTI government was giving the rights back to south Punjab and ensured that allocated funds were aptly utilized for the welfare of the masses, he said.

A journey of real development was accelerated in backward areas of south Punjab, he said and deplored that the rejected cabal was point-scoring for the sake of political mileage. All such elements would be unsuccessful and the government would develop the backward areas of south Punjab, he confirmed.

The CM maintained that a new era of development had been started in south Punjab and the public mandate would be fully honoured. It was sanguine that the PTI government had started a number of mega projects in south Punjab and no compromise would be made on the quality of the development work, he asserted.

The chief minister added that wicked enemy was trying to destabilise Pakistan, adding that Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was also attempting to spread chaos.

It was regrettable that the opposition had set aside the national interest as its inherent agenda was contrary to the national interests.

The prevalent situation required national unity and those involved in the politics of chaos should realise facts as there was no room for the politics of anarchy in the country, concluded the CM.