Inclusive strategy evolved for affectees: CM

LAHORE:Canadian High Commissioner Ms Wendy Gilmour called on Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at his office on Monday. She discussed matters of mutual interest and expressed regret over flood-related losses.

The chief minister welcomed international assistance to flood affectees and maintained that the flood had caused colossal damages and the government was following a comprehensive strategy to rehabilitate the affected people.

Pakistan and Canada enjoy the best friendly relations while a good number of Pakistanis are also residing there, he remarked. However, there is a need to take solid steps to promote trade and economic relations by expanding cooperation in education, health and energy production sectors, he maintained.

A proactive approach is needed to promote trade and economic cooperation between Canada and Punjab province and the time has come to take steps for further expanding cooperation in different sectors.

In this regard, the exchange of trade delegations would give impetus to bilateral cooperation, concluded the CM. Ms Wendy Gilmour expressed the desire to promote cooperation between Canada and Punjab in different sectors. Canadian Consular (Commercial) and Senior Trade Commissioner Michael Lazaruk and Chairman Nestle Pakistan Syed Yawar Ali were also present.

Rs70m for flood affectees: A well-known businessman Abid Butt called on the chief minister at his office on Monday and presented a Rs70 million cheque for the CM Flood Relief Fund. The CM admired the philanthropic passion of Amanah Group Chairman to help flood victims and said that an effective monitoring mechanism was developed for maintaining transparency. The deserving persons will be given their full rights, he asserted and told that the installation of special filtration hand pumps was being reviewed to provide clean drinking water in the flood-hit areas. The affectees are our brethren and they will not be left alone in this hour of trial. The government was utilising every resource to help the victims, he said. The chief secretary and political and administrative teams of the Punjab government were fully active in the early rehabilitation of the flood victims, the CM concluded. Muhammad Yousaf, Muhammad Parvez Awan, Najam Mazari, Adviser Amer Saeed Raan and former minister Ghulam Abbas were also present.

DEFENCE DAY: The CM paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the Pakistan armed forces, adding Defence and Martyrs Day is a unique chapter in the history of Pakistan.

In his message issued Monday, the CM stated that officers and jawans of the armed forces thwarted the nefarious designs of the enemy. There is no other example in history of such bravery of the Pakistan armed forces who gave a befitting response to the enemy, he maintained. The martyrs are still alive in the hearts of the nation, he commented. The CM asserted that Pakistan has the best army in the world, which is fully capable of dealing with any aggression. Today, we have to reiterate our determination that even the sacrifice of life will not be avoided for the defence of the country, the CM concluded.

FORMER MINISTER: The Punjab government stands with the flood-affected population of Balochistan, Sindh and KP provinces and would also send medicines and medical staff to the affectees.

The chief minister stated this while talking to former federal minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan who called on him at his office and appreciated the relief measures.The CM vowed that the government was fully committed to redressing the flood-related damages and repeated that affectees would not be left unattended.

Ghulam Sarwar appreciated that Pervaiz Elahi-led government was following a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate the affectees. Principal Secretary to CM Muhammad Khan Bhatti was also present.

SEEKS REPORT: The chief minister has sought a report from the secretary specialised healthcare and medical care department about the fire incident in the surgical unit-III of Jinnah Hospital. He directed to take disciplinary action against those responsible for the negligence by holding a comprehensive inquiry.