CM forms Task Force for road safety

LAHORE : Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi took a big step to prevent traffic accidents and constituted a Provincial Task Force For Road Safety here on Saturday.

The Task Force will prepare a comprehensive plan of action under which prompt steps will be taken to prevent the traffic accidents along with ensuring safety of the people in the light of recommendations to be put forth by the Task Force. A necessary legislation will also be done in this regard and the Provincial Minister Raja Basharat will be the Head of the Task Force. Chief Secretary, Inspector General of Police, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), traffic officials and other officers will be members of the Task Force.

Punjab Chief Minister accorded an approval to introduce electric mini cars in place of motorcycle rickshaws. Punjab Chief Minister presided over a meeting in which it was principally decided to promote environment friendly electric bikes to reduce pollution in the province.

CM maintained that electric bikes and electric cars will be encouraged in the province adding that motorcycle rickshaws will be changed into golf cart vehicles in a phased manner. He revealed that a readable token sticker will be pasted on the vehicles after conducting their inspection and in case of the absence of readable inspection token the vehicle will immediately be put off-road.

CM directed to pay special attention to the repair of roads and of government vehicles in order to reduce traffic accidents adding that the traffic police should adopt a zero tolerance policy on the matter of out of order vehicles headlights and indicators. CM asserted that a strict legal action should be taken against the underage drivers. Director General Rescue 1122 Service Dr Rizwan Naseer apprised while giving a briefing that 10 persons die and many get injured in the traffic accidents on daily basis adding that after every two minutes a traffic accident takes place somewhere in Punjab.

Chief Minister also chaired a high-level meeting in which steps being taken for the road safety came under review. Chief Secretary Abdullah Sumbal, Principal Secretary to Punjab Chief Minister M Khan Bhatti, Inspector General of Police Faisal Shahkar, ACS (Home), Secretary Transport, senior officials of Traffic Police and the officers concerned attended the meeting.

CM briefs British investors on investment opportunities: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi Saturday met with a 15-member delegation comprising eminent industrialists and famous business personalities of Great Britain in which matters pertaining to investment in agriculture, livestock, poultry and other sectors were discussed.

During the meeting held here, it was agreed by the British industrialists to enhance cooperation for investment in Punjab. The British industrialists expressed their keen interest in Central Business District (CPD) Punjab, Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project (RUDA) and other projects.

The British delegation paid tributes to the vision and endeavours of Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi and expressed their profound thanks for his splendid hospitality. On this occasion, the CM apprised the British industrialists and businessmen that provincial government would attain the destinations of progress by utilizing all its resources and capabilities. He said, "We will arrange road shows in Great Britain for the promotion of RUDA, CPD and for the promotion of other foreign investment. We fully guarantee to safeguard the foreign investment”.